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Active, not recruitingNCT00338377Updated Aug 12, 2026

Lymphodepletion Plus Adoptive Cell Transfer With or Without Dendritic Cell Immunization in Patients With Metastatic Melanoma

A Phase 2 interventional study of Dendritic Cell Immunization and Cyclophosphamide in Melanoma, sponsored by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Active, not recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 12 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-08-12.

Sponsored by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
1,230
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
12 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Objectives:

The primary objective will be to determine whether patients receiving the combination of dendritic cells and high dose IL-2 (Cohort A) have sustained persistence of infused T cells compared to patients treated with T cells and high dose IL-2 alone.

Secondary endpoints will include evaluations for tumor response and studies to determine whether dendritic cells enhance the infused T cells in anti-tumor activity and their ability to migrate to the tumor site. In addition, we will evaluate the characteristics of the infused T cells that correspond with effectiveness in vivo.

Additionally, secondary objectives will include correlation of clinical parameters with survival (overall survival and progression-free survival) for all cohorts.

COHORT C

In a separate cohort (Cohort C) the primary endpoint will be the overall response rate of TIL treatment for patients who have not achieved PR or CR or have progressive disease from treatment of the BRAF inhibitor alone.

COHORT D

The primary objective of Cohort D is to confirm the safety of adoptively transferred, TIL into the CSF.

The secondary objective is the evaluation of clinical imaging and CSF response. Correlative objectives will assess if the intrathecally-infused T cells persist in the CSF, assess circulating tumor cells in the CSF, and assess various cytokine and other analyses,as feasible.

COHORT E

The primary objective of Cohort E is to determine the overall response rate of TIL treatment with cells grown by the TIL 3.0 pre-REP (Turnstile 1) phase of cellular growth.

02

Conditions studied

  • Melanoma

Keywords

  • Melanoma
  • Regional nodal disease
  • Dendritic Cell Immunization
  • Lymphodepletion
  • Adoptive Cell Transfer
  • T Cells
  • Vaccine
  • Cyclosphosphamide
  • Cytoxan
  • Neosar
  • Dendritic Cells
  • Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes
  • TIL Cells
  • MART Peptide
  • Fludarabine
  • Fludarabine Phosphate
  • Fludara
  • Proleukin
  • IL-2
  • Interleukin-2
  • Leptomeningeal disease
03

In context

Melanoma

3,006 studies on the registry are indexed under Melanoma; 520 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 1,230 is above the median of 38 across 2,351 interventional studies indexed under Melanoma.

Browse Melanoma studies →

Lead sponsor

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center is the lead sponsor of 2,999 studies on the registry; 581 are open to participants now.

Of its 599 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 402 (67%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
12 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  1. Patients must have metastatic melanoma, uveal melanoma or stage III in-transit or regional nodal disease. (Turnstile I)
  2. Patients must receive an MRI/CT of the brain or PET/CT within 6 months of consenting. If new lesions are present, PI or his designee should make final determination regarding enrollment. (Turnstile I)
  3. Age greater than or equal to 12 years. (Turnstile I)
  4. Clinical performance status of ECOG 0-2. (Turnstile I)
  5. Patients previously treated with immunotherapy, targeted therapy, or no therapy will be eligible. Patients receiving cytotoxic agents will be evaluated by the PI or his designee as to suitable eligibility. (Turnstile I)
  6. Patients must be HLA-A2 for cohort A. (Turnstile II-Chemotherapy/Cell Infusion-Inclusion Criteria)
  7. Patients must have adequate TIL available. (Turnstile II)
  8. Patients must have measurable metastatic melanoma. (Turnstile II - Chemotherapy/Cell Infusion -Inclusion Criteria).
  9. Patients may have brain lesions which measure \</= 1cm each. Lesions that are >1 cm that have been treated with SRS and in the opinion of the PI or his designee no longer represents active disease will also be allowed. (Turnstile II - Chemotherapy/Cell Infusion- Inclusion Criteria).
  10. Patients of both genders must practice birth control for four months after receiving the preparative regimen. (Turnstile II - Chemotherapy/Cell Infusion- Inclusion Criteria).
  11. Patients must have a documented negative pregnancy test (urine or serum) for women who have menstruation in the past 12 months and without sterilization surgery.
  12. Unless surgically sterile by bilateral tubal ligation or vasectomy of partner(s), the patient agrees to continue to use a barrier method of contraception throughout the study such as: condom, diaphragm, hormonal, IUD, or sponge plus spermicide. Abstinence is an acceptable form of birth control. (Turnstile II)
  13. Pregnancy testing will be performed within 7 days prior to treatment. (Turnstile II)
  14. Clinical performance status of ECOG 0 - 2 at the time of chemotherapy infusion. (Turnstile II - Chemotherapy/Cell Infusion-Inclusion Criteria).
  15. Absolute neutrophil count greater than or equal to 750/mm3. (Turnstile II - Chemotherapy/Cell Infusion- Inclusion Criteria).
  16. Platelet count greater than or equal to 75,000/mm3. (Turnstile II - Chemotherapy/Cell Infusion- Inclusion Criteria).
  17. Hemoglobin greater than or equal to 8.0 g/dl. (Turnstile II - Chemotherapy/Cell Infusion).
  18. Serum ALT less than three times the upper limit of normal. (Turnstile II - Chemotherapy/Cell Infusion- Inclusion Criteria).
  19. Serum creatinine less than or equal to 1.6 mg/dl. (Turnstile II - Chemotherapy/Cell Infusion-Inclusion Criteria).
  20. Total bilirubin less than or equal to 2.0 mg/dl, except in patients with Gilbert's Syndrome who must have a total bilirubin less than 3.0 mg/dl. (Turnstile II - Chemotherapy/Cell Infusion - Inclusion Criteria).
  21. Patients in Cohort A will be randomized to receive either TIL alone or TIL plus Dendritic cells.
  22. A stress cardiac test (stress thallium, stress MUGA, dobutamine echocardiogram or other stress test that will rule out cardiac ischemia) within 6 months of lymphodepletion. (Turnstile II - Chemotherapy/Cell Infusion-Inclusion Criteria).
  23. Pulmonary function tests (FEV1>65% or FVC>65%of predicted) within 6 months of lymphodepletion. (Turnstile II - Chemotherapy/Cell Infusion - Inclusion Criteria).
  24. MRI/CT of the brain within 42 days of lymphodepletion. CT scan of chest/abdomen/pelvis or PET/CT within 30 days of lymphodepletion. Exception: Patients randomized to receive dendritic cells may have an MRI of the brain within 30 days of lymphodepletion. (Turnstile II-Chemotherapy/Cell Infusion-Inclusion Criteria)
  25. Patients must be receiving a B-RAF inhibitor and failed to achieve PR or CR or have progressive disease in response to B-RAF treatment (Cohort C).
  26. i. Patients with MRI evidence of LMD, with or without evidence of malignant cells in CSF ("positive cytology"), or ii. Patients with evidence of malignant cells in the CSF (positive cytology), with or without MRI evidence of LMD, or iii. Patients with surgically-proven LMD (leptomeningeal involvement on pathology review) +/- MRI or CSF evidence by MRI or CSF cytology (Cohort D)
  27. a. Many patients present with concomitant systemic disease outside of the central nervous system. Extra-CNS disease status should meet the following criteria: i. Patients with concomitant systemic disease under control with current or prior systemic treatment, as per primary treating physician ii. Patients without any evidence of systemic disease, either receiving systemic treatment or on active observation (Cohort D)
  28. c. Previous Therapies i. Patients who are currently being treated with IT IL-2 for LMD are eligible. No wash out period is required. ii. Patients who have been previously treated with other IT therapies are eligible, as long as there is at least a 2 week wash out period iii. Patients who have previously received therapy with systemic TIL therapy are eligible.
  29. (contd #28) iv. Patients with VP shunts must have VP shunts with on/off valves and must be expected to tolerate VP shunt valve off for more than 6 hours Patients who have received CNS irradiation, including whole brain radiation or stereotactic radiosurgery, are eligible, if they are at least 1 weeks post CNS-irradiation (Cohort D)Patients who are currently being treated with IT IL-2 for LMD are eligible. No wash out period is required. (Cohort D)
  30. d. Other Requirements i. Patients must be able to give informed consent ii. Patients must have ECOG performance status 0, 1 or 2 and/or KPS > 50 iii. Patients must be able to swallow iv. Patients must be able to sit up with or without assistance v. Patients must be able to undergo contrast-enhanced MRI. (Cohort D)

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Has had prior systemic cancer cytotoxic chemotherapy within the past four weeks at the time of the start of the lymphodepletion regimen.
  2. Has had prior B-RAF or MEK targeted therapy within 7 days prior to the start of the lymphodepletion regimen (Cohort A and Cohort B).
  3. Is not receiving B-RAF treatment (Cohort C) (Turnstile II - Chemotherapy/Cell Infusion Exclusion Criteria)
  4. Achieves PR or CR in response to B-RAF treatment (Cohort C).
  5. Women who are pregnant or nursing will be excluded because of the potentially dangerous effects of the preparative chemotherapy on the fetus. (Turnstile II - Chemotherapy/Cell Infusion Exclusion Criteria)
  6. Any active systemic infections requiring intravenous antibiotics, coagulation disorders or other major medical illnesses of the cardiovascular, respiratory or immune system, such as abnormal stress test and/or abnormal PFT. PI or his designee shall make the final determination regarding appropriateness of enrollment.(Turnstile II - Chemotherapy/Cell Infusion Exclusion Criteria)
  7. Any form of primary or secondary immunodeficiency. Must have recovered immune competence after chemotherapy or radiation therapy as evidenced by lymphocyte counts (> 500/mm3), WBC (> 3,000/mm3) or absence of opportunistic infections. (Turnstile II - Chemotherapy/Cell Infusion Exclusion Criteria)
  8. Require steroid therapy or steroid-containing compounds, or have used systemic steroids in the past 30 days, or have used topical or inhalational steroids in the past 2 weeks prior to lymphodepletion. Exception: Patients on physiologic dose of steroid (Turnstile II - Chemotherapy/Cell Infusion Exclusion Criteria)
  9. Presence of a significant psychiatric disease, which in the opinion of the principal investigator or his designee, would prevent adequate informed consent or render immunotherapy unsafe or contraindicated. (Turnstile II - Chemotherapy/Cell Infusion Exclusion Criteria)
  10. Patients with rapidly advancing systemic disease, especially those without good options of systemic treatment for their disease outside the CNS. (Cohort D)
  11. Patients with rapidly advancing parenchymal brain metastases (Cohort D)
  12. Pregnant patients (Cohort D)
  13. Patients with rapid decline in neurological function as documented on exam and/or as per clinical judgment of treating physician (Cohort D)
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
1,230 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Group A: Chemotherapy + IL-2 plus T-cells

    Cyclophosphamide 60 mg/kg/d by vein (IV) over 2 hours Days -7 and -6 (with Mesna) and Fludarabine 25 mg/m\^2 IV daily Days -5 to -1 before T cell infusion. On Day 0, up to 1.5 x 10\^11 T cells IV infusion over 30-60 minutes. Interleukin-2 12-16 hours after T cell infusion at standard dose of 720,000 IU/kg as intravenous bolus over 15 minute period every 8-16 hours for up to 15 doses on Days 1-5 and 22-26. Group A has been closed to new patient entry as of January 14, 2016.

    Drug: Cyclophosphamide · Drug: Fludarabine · Biological: T-Cells · Biological: Interleukin-2 · Drug: Mesna

  • Experimental
    Group B: Chemotherapy + IL-2 plus T-Cells + Vaccine

    Chemotherapy and IL-2 plus T-cells and the vaccine of dendritic cells received by vein (IV) about 4 hours after T-cells and again on Day 21 (+/- 7 days). Cyclophosphamide 60 mg/kg/d IV over 2 hours Days -7 and -6 (with Mesna) and Fludarabine 25 mg/m\^2 IV daily Days -5 to -1 before T cell infusion. On Day 0, up to 1.5 x 10\^11 T cells IV infusion over 30-60 minutes. Interleukin-2 12-16 hours after T cell infusion at standard dose of 720,000 IU/kg as intravenous bolus over 15 minute period every 8-16 hours for up to 15 doses on Days 1-5 and 22-26.

    Biological: Dendritic Cell Immunization · Drug: Cyclophosphamide · Drug: Fludarabine · Biological: T-Cells · Biological: Interleukin-2 · Drug: Mesna

  • Experimental
    Group C: Prior Treatment with BRAF Inhibitor

    Chemotherapy and IL-2 plus T-cells and the vaccine of dendritic cells received by vein (IV) about 4 hours after T-cells and again on Day 21 (+/- 7 days). Cyclophosphamide 60 mg/kg/d IV over 2 hours Days -7 and -6 (with Mesna) and Fludarabine 25 mg/m\^2 IV daily Days -5 to -1 before T cell infusion. On Day 0, up to 1.5 x 10\^11 T cells IV infusion over 30-60 minutes. Interleukin-2 12-16 hours after T cell infusion at standard dose of 720,000 IU/kg as intravenous bolus over 15 minute period every 8-16 hours for up to 15 doses on Days 1-5 and 22-26.

    Biological: Dendritic Cell Immunization · Drug: Cyclophosphamide · Drug: Fludarabine · Biological: T-Cells · Biological: Interleukin-2 · Drug: Mesna

  • Experimental
    Group D: Leptomeningeal Disease

    T-cells: 5.0x109 TIL administered on Day 1 and 10x109 TIL on Day 15. IL-2: 1.2 MIU of IL- 2 on Days 2, 4, 9, 11, 16 and 18 as tolerated. After this period, patient receives twice weekly IL-2 that will be gradually changed to weekly IL-2. After 4-6 weeks, patients switched to IL-2.

    Biological: Intrathecal T-Cells · Biological: Intrathecal Interleukin-2

  • Experimental
    Group E: Chemotherapy + IL-2 plus T-Cells + Vaccine

    Chemotherapy and IL-2 plus T-cells and the vaccine of dendritic cells received by vein (IV) about 4 hours after T-cells and again on Day 21 (+/- 7 days). Cyclophosphamide 60 mg/kg/d IV over 2 hours Days -7 and -6 (with Mesna) and Fludarabine 25 mg/m\^2 IV daily Days -5 to -1 before T cell infusion. On Day 0, up to 1.5 x 10\^11 T cells IV infusion over 30-60 minutes. Interleukin-2 12-16 hours after T cell infusion at standard dose of 720,000 IU/kg as intravenous bolus over 15 minute period every 8-16 hours for up to 15 doses on Days 1-5 and 22-26.

    Biological: Dendritic Cell Immunization · Drug: Cyclophosphamide · Drug: Fludarabine · Biological: T-Cells · Biological: Interleukin-2 · Drug: Mesna

Interventions

  • BiologicalDendritic Cell Immunization

    1x10\^7 to 2.5x10\^8 MART-1 peptide-pulsed Dendritic Cells given by vein over 20-30 minutes approximately 4 hrs after receiving T cells.

  • DrugCyclophosphamide

    60 mg/kg/d by vein over 2 hours on Days -7 and -6 before T cell infusion

    Also known as: Cytoxan, Neosar

  • DrugFludarabine

    25 mg/m\^2 by vein daily over 30 minutes on Days -5 to -1 before T cell infusion.

    Also known as: Fludarabine Phosphate, Fludara

  • BiologicalT-Cells

    On Days 0, up to 1.5 x 10\^11 T-cells by vein infusion over 30-60 minutes.

  • BiologicalInterleukin-2

    12-16 hours after completing the T cell infusion, all will receive high dose IL-2 on an inpatient basis at the standard dose of 720,000 IU/kg as an intravenous bolus over approximately a 15 minute period every 8-16 hours for up to 15 doses on Days 1-5 and 22-26 (+/- 7 days), as tolerated.

    Also known as: IL-2, Proleukin

  • DrugMesna

    60 mg/kg with D5W or NS at 125 ml/hr infused intravenously over 24 hours on Day -7 and -6.

    Also known as: Sodium 2-mercaptoethanesulfonate, Mesnum, Mesnex, NSC-113891

  • BiologicalIntrathecal T-Cells

    5.0x10\^9 T-cells administered on Day 1, and 10x10\^9 T-cells on Day 15. 1.2 MIU of IL- 2 on Day 2, 4, 9, 11, 16 and 18 as tolerated.

  • BiologicalIntrathecal Interleukin-2

    1.2 MIU of IL- 2 on Day 2, 4, 9, 11, 16 and 18 as tolerated. Then, patient receives twice weekly IL-2 that will be gradually changed to weekly IL-2. After 4-6 weeks patients switched to IL-2 maintenance.

    Also known as: IL-2

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Objective Response (OR)

    Objective response (OR) defined as immune-related Best Overall Response (irBOR). irBOR is best confirmed immune-related response criteria (irRC) overall response over the study as a whole, recorded between the date of first dose until the last tumor assessment before subsequent therapy (except for local palliative radiotherapy for painful bone lesions) for the individual subjects in the study.

    Time frame: Clinical Evaluation during first 70 Days, CT Scan at 6-8 weeks (+/- 7 days) after cell infusion.

  2. Longitudinal Immune Response in Cohort D

    Longitudinal immune response defined as: Conversion of positive to negative cytology. Any perceptible improvement of the MRI findings confirmed by radiologist and/or the investigator confirmed by 2 successive MRIs 4 weeks apart. Any clinical improvement in terms of neurological symptoms.

    Time frame: 4 weeks

  3. Overall response rate (ORR) of TIL generated with the TIL 3.0 pre-REP methodology in Cohort E

    ORR defined as CR/PR/SD\>6m (i.e., success = CR or PR or SD \> 6m).

    Time frame: At about 6 weeks and at 12 weeks after the T-cell and/or vaccine infusion

07

Study locations

1 site
  • The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
    Houston, Texas 77030, United States
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Saberian C, Amaria RN, Najjar AM, Radvanyi LG, Haymaker CL, Forget MA, Bassett RL, Faria SC, Glitza IC, Alvarez E, Parshottam S, Prieto V, Lizee G, Wong MK, McQuade JL, Diab A, Yee C, Tawbi HA, Patel S, Shpall EJ, Davies MA, Hwu P, Bernatchez C. Randomized phase II trial of lymphodepletion plus adoptive cell transfer of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, with or without dendritic cell vaccination, in patients with metastatic melanoma. J Immunother Cancer. 2021 May;9(5):e002449. doi: 10.1136/jitc-2021-002449. PubMed 34021033 ↗
  • Joseph RW, Peddareddigari VR, Liu P, Miller PW, Overwijk WW, Bekele NB, Ross MI, Lee JE, Gershenwald JE, Lucci A, Prieto VG, McMannis JD, Papadopoulos N, Kim K, Homsi J, Bedikian A, Hwu WJ, Hwu P, Radvanyi LG. Impact of clinical and pathologic features on tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte expansion from surgically excised melanoma metastases for adoptive T-cell therapy. Clin Cancer Res. 2011 Jul 15;17(14):4882-91. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-10-2769. Epub 2011 Jun 1. PubMed 21632855 ↗
09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Aug 12, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00338377
Lead sponsor
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Collaborators
Prometheus Laboratories, Key Biologics, LLC, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Adelson Medical Research
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jun 20, 2006
Start date
Feb 1, 2006
Primary completion
Feb 28, 2030 (estimated)
Completion
Feb 28, 2030 (estimated)
Last update
Aug 12, 2026

Study contacts

Rodabe N. Amaria, MD
principal investigator · M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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