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NCT Number: NCT07300475

Personalized Cancer Vaccine (PCV) Strategy in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Patients

This is a phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate the safety, feasibility and immunogenicity of a personalized cancer vaccine (PCV) strategy with or without CD8-selective IL-2 mutein fusion protein in patients with triple negative breast cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy.

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Key information

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 1

Primary location

Washington University School of Medicine

St Louis, Missouri, 63110, United States

Location contact

Cynthia Ma, MD, PhD

SUB_INVESTIGATOR

Feng Gao, MD, PhD, MPH

SUB_INVESTIGATOR

Ian Hagemann, MD, PhD

SUB_INVESTIGATOR

Katherine Clifton, M.D.

CONTACT

[email protected]

314-273-3712

Katherine Clifton, MD

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Lijin Li, PhD

SUB_INVESTIGATOR

Malachi Griffith, PhD

SUB_INVESTIGATOR

Obi Griffith, PhD

SUB_INVESTIGATOR

Peter Goedegebuure, PhD

SUB_INVESTIGATOR

Robert Schreiber, PhD

SUB_INVESTIGATOR

Sherri Davies, PhD

SUB_INVESTIGATOR

William Gillanders, MD

CONTACT

[email protected]

314-747-0072

William Gillanders, MD

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Step 0 Inclusion Criteria:

  • Newly diagnosed, previously untreated, locally advanced non-metastatic triple negative breast cancer (as defined by the most recent ASCO/CAP guidelines). Permissible staging per AJCC is as follows:
  • T1c, N1-N2
  • T2, N0-N2
  • T3, N0-N2
  • At least 18 years of age.
  • Adequate tissue available for nucleic acid isolation/PCV design or willing to undergo biopsy if adequate tissue is not available.
  • Adequate cardiac function per treating physician and a candidate for the KEYNOTE 522 regimen (or receiving the KEYNOTE 522 regimen for no more than one month). Note that patients who are already receiving the KEYNOTE 522 regimen at the time of screening must have adequate archival tissue for nucleic acid isolation/PCV design (biopsy will not be permitted).
  • TIL percentage < 10% (performed on SOC biopsy).
  • Ability to understand and willingness to sign an IRB approved written informed consent document. Legally authorized representatives may sign and give informed consent on behalf of study participants.

Step 0 Exclusion Criteria:

  • Prior or concurrent malignancy whose natural history has the potential to interfere with the safety or efficacy assessment of the investigational regimen. Patients with prior or concurrent malignancy that does NOT meet that definition are eligible for this trial.
  • Received prior chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or radiation therapy within the past 12 months.
  • Received prior therapy with an anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1, or anti-PD-L2 agent, or with an agent directed to another co-inhibitory T-cell receptor.
  • Currently receiving any other investigational agents.
  • A history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to any agents used in the study.
  • Received a live vaccine within 30 days of the first dose of pembrolizumab.
  • Active autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment in the past 2 years.
  • Diagnosis of immunodeficiency or receiving systemic steroid therapy or any other form of immunosuppressive therapy within 7 days prior to the first dose of pembrolizumab.
  • History of (non-infectious) pneumonitis that required steroids, or current pneumonitis.
  • Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to: ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, or cardiac arrhythmia. Patients with a known history or current symptoms of cardiac disease, or history of treatment with cardiotoxic agents, should have a clinical risk assessment of cardiac function using the New York Heart Association Function Classification; to be eligible for this trial, patients should be a class 2B or better.
  • Pregnant and/or breastfeeding. Women of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test within 7 days of study entry.
  • Known history of active TB (bacillus tuberculosis).
  • Known history of HIV.
  • Evidence of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) that is detectable on suppressive therapy. Patients with evidence of chronic HBV infection with undetectable HBV viral load on suppressive therapy are eligible. HBV testing not required in the absence of known history of infection.
  • History of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection that has not been cured or that has a detectable viral load. Patients with a history of HCV that has been treated and cured are eligible. Patients with HCV infection who are currently on treatment and have an undetectable HCV viral load are eligible. HCV testing not required in the absence of known history of infection.

Step 1 Inclusion Criteria:

  • ECOG performance status ≤ 1 within 10 days of initiation of PCV
  • Adequate bone marrow and organ function within 28 days of initiation of PCV as defined below:
  • Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1.0 K/cumm
  • Platelets ≥ 100 K/cumm
  • Hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL
  • Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x IULN
  • AST(SGOT)/ALT(SGPT) ≤ 3.0 x IULN
  • Creatinine clearance > 30 mL/min by Cockcroft-Gault
  • The effects of the PCV on the developing human fetus are unknown. For this reason, women of childbearing potential and men must agree to use adequate contraception prior to study entry, for the duration of study participation, and for 6 months after last dose of PCV. Should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while participating in this study or should a man suspect he has fathered a child, s/he must inform her treating physician immediately.
  • Received at least 4 months of the KEYNOTE 522 regimen.

Step 1 Exclusion Criteria:

  • Currently receiving any other investigational agents.
  • Pregnant and/or breastfeeding.
  • Experiencing ongoing AEs related to the SOC KEYNOTE 522 regimen that have not resolved to < grade 3. Patients may be permitted to enroll with a grade 3 AE with approval of the PI and treating physician.
  • QTcF > 470 msec.

Treatment and study plan

paclitaxel

Drug

As part of the KEYNOTE 522 Regimen, given per standard of care.

Other names: Onxol, Taxol

carboplatin

Drug

As part of the KEYNOTE 522 Regimen, given per standard of care.

Other names: KYXATA, Paraplatin

Pembrolizumab

Drug

As a part of the KEYNOTE 522 Regimen, given per standard of care. Adjuvant pembrolizumab will be given per standard of care.

Other names: Keytruda

Doxorubicin

Drug

As part of the KEYNOTE 522 Regimen, given per standard of care.

Other names: Adriamycin, Adriamycin PFS, Adriamycin RDF, Rubex

Cyclophosphamide

Drug

As part of the KEYNOTE 522 Regimen, given per standard of care.

Other names: Cytoxan, Neosar, Frindovyx

Personalized cancer vaccine (PCV)

Biological

PCV is given intra-muscular (IM). Each PCV will consists of up to 4 separate injections, with each syringe containing peptides from one of the up to four peptide pools combined with adjuvant poly-ICLC.

Other names: CD8-selective IL-2 mutein fusion protein

AB248

Drug

AB248 is given intravenously (IV) over 30 minutes at the recommended dose.

Other names: Etakafusp alfa, CD8-selective IL-2 mutein fusion protein

pVAC tools neoantigen prediction algorithm

Other

The pVACtools suite of software tools will be used to identify and prioritize cancer neoantigens based on neoantigen identification algorithms.

Poly-ICLC

Drug

Poly-ICLC is mixed with the personalized cancer vaccine (PCV). The PCV is given intramuscularly (IM) at 1mg dose.

Primary outcomes

  1. Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs)

    Time frame: Step 1 enrollment to 30 days after completion of PCV treatment (estimated time of 115 days)

    Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) will be assessed via CTCAE v6.

  2. Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs)

    Time frame: Step 1 enrollment to 30 days after completion of PCV treatment (estimated time of 115 days)

    Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) will be assessed via CTCAE v6.

  3. Serious adverse events (SAEs)

    Time frame: Step 1 enrollment to 30 days after completion of PCV treatment (estimated time of 115 days)

    Serious adverse events (SAEs) will be assessed via CTCAE v6.

  4. Feasibility as determined by number of enrolled patients with triple negative breast cancer

    Time frame: Completion of enrollment (1 day for patient)

    Defined as enrolling 24 evaluable patients in 36 months.

  5. Feasibility as determined by time required for PCV design and manufacture

    Time frame: Start of Step 0 Enrollment to PCV completion (estimated time of 24 weeks)

    Defined as completion of design and manufacture within 24 weeks.

  6. Feasibility as determined by rate of successful PCV delivery

    Time frame: Day 1

    Defined as at least 70% of patients receiving at least one dose of PCV.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Immune response as evaluated by ELISPOT analysis.

    Time frame: Step 0 Enrollment to 12 months after PCV completion (estimated time of 18 months and 85 days)

    Samples will be drawn at Step 0 enrollment, day 1, day 15, day 22, day of surgery, day 43, day 64, day 85, and patients randomized to Arm 2 will have an optional draw at Year 1 follow-up.

  2. Recurrence-free survival (RFS)

    Time frame: Step 1 enrollment through completion of follow up (estimated time of 5 years and 85 days)

    Recurrence-free survival is defined as the rate of disease recurrence from Step 1 enrollment until disease recurrence per standard of care assessments or until patient is off study, whichever occurs first.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Katherine Clifton, M.D.

CONTACT

[email protected]

314-273-3712

William Gillanders, MD

CONTACT

[email protected]

314-747-0072

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Washington University School of Medicine

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Phase 1 Clinical Trial of a Personalized Cancer Vaccine (PCV) Strategy +/- AB248 (CD8-selective IL-2 Mutein Fusion Protein) in Patients With a New Diagnosis of Triple Negative Breast Cancer Undergoing Neoadjuvant Chemoimmunotherapy

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2030
Study completion
2035
First posted
Dec 23, 2025
Registry last updated
Jun 15, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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