A Phase 2 interventional study of Temozolomide (TMZ) and Optune System in Glioblastoma and Glioblastoma, WHO Grade IV, sponsored by University of Florida. Active, not recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 80 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-02-06.
Sponsored by University of Florida · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and deadliest primary malignant neoplasm of the central nervous system in adults. Despite an aggressive multimodality treatment approach including surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, overall survival remains poor. Pembrolizumab has recently been approved in the United States for the treatment of patients with advanced and metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, locally advanced urothelial carcinoma, classical Hodgkin lymphoma, unresectable or metastatic melanoma
This study is being performed to determine whether the triple combination of pembrolizumab when added to TTFields (Optune®) and adjuvant temozolomide increases progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with newly diagnosed GBM as compared to historical control data.
Patients with newly-diagnosed GBM who undergo maximal safe resection (biopsy alone is eligible) followed by standard chemoradiation will be eligible for this trial.
Four weeks after completing chemoradiation, patients will undergo baseline standard of care MRI. Four to six weeks after finishing chemoradiation, patients will start monthly cycles of adjuvant TMZ. A minimum of 6 and maximum of 12 cycles of adjuvant TMZ will be given. Treatment with Optune will start at approximately the same time as the first cycle of adjuvant TMZ and continue until second disease progression or a maximum of 2 years. Within one week after starting Cycle 2 of adjuvant TMZ and Optune therapy, patients will begin open-label treatment with pembrolizumab every 3 weeks until first disease progression or unacceptable toxicities or 2 years, whichever comes first.
At first progression, patients will be allowed to continue with Optune therapy combined with any other therapy, which may include pembrolizumab, per standard of care at the discretion of the treating physician. Surgical resection or biopsy of first recurrent tumor for confirmation of recurrence is allowed within the protocol.
All patients will be seen before Cycle 1 of TMZ, before cycle 2 of TMZ, before starting the second dose of pembrolizumab, and every 3 weeks before each subsequent pembrolizumab dose at an outpatient clinic until they complete all 12 cycles of adjuvant TMZ or discontinue TMZ due to toxicity or first progression.
Medical follow-up will continue for 30 days after treatment termination. After this visit, mortality will be assessed based on telephone interviews with the patients or the patients' caregivers every 3 months.
Received maximal safe resection (biopsy only allowed) and radiotherapy concomitant with temozolomide:
Adequate bone marrow and organ function as defined below:
Participants of childbearing age must use effective contraception:
Exclusion Criteria:
Patients with newly-diagnosed GBM who undergo maximal safe resection (biopsy alone is eligible) followed by chemoradiation consisting of concomitant TMZ daily and radiation therapy (RT) with minimal RT will be eligible for this trial. Four to six weeks after finishing chemoradiation, patients will start monthly cycles of adjuvant TMZ. Treatment with Optune will start at approximately the same time as the first cycle of adjuvant TMZ and continue until second disease progression or a maximum of 2 years. Within one week after starting Cycle 2 of adjuvant TMZ and Optune therapy, patients will begin open-label treatment with pembrolizumab every 3 weeks until first disease progression or unacceptable toxicities or 2 years, whichever comes first.
Drug: Temozolomide (TMZ) · Device: Optune System · Drug: Pembrolizumab
Historical control of patients treated with Optune System combined with Temozolomide alone from the EF-14 study will be compared with the Optune System combined with Temozolomide (TMZ) + pembrolizumab
Drug: Temozolomide (TMZ) · Device: Optune System
Patients will begin treatment with adjuvant TMZ at least 4 weeks but no more than 6 weeks from last dose of concomitant temozolomide or radiation therapy (the latter of the two). A minimum of 6 and maximum of 12 cycles of adjuvant TMZ will be given depending on tolerability and toxicity.
Patients will undergo 24-months of planned treatment with Optune therapy.
Also known as: NovoTTF Therapy
Pembrolizumab will be given intravenously every 3 weeks beginning on Day 1 of Cycle 2 of adjuvant TMZ. Treatment with pembrolizumab every 3 weeks until first disease progression or unacceptable toxicities or 2 years, whichever comes first.
Also known as: Keytruda
Progression-free Survival Between the Groups From Time of Enrollment
Time from enrollment to progression or death or censoring, whichever occurs first. The study team will use the one-sample log-rank test to compare PFS in the triple combination arm relative to the historical control arm to determine whether the triple combination treatment increases PFS in newly diagnosed GBM patients when compared to TTFields+TMZ historical control patients from the EF-14 study. Evaluability for progression free survival required participants to receive adjuvant TMZ, Optune and at least 1 dose of pembrolizumab.
Time frame: Assessed up to 24 months
Number of Participants With Toxicities, Serious Adverse Events and/or Other Adverse Events Treated With Triple Combination Treatment
The descriptions and grading scales found in the revised NCI Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 4.0 will be utilized for all toxicity reporting for grade 3 or higher. We will estimate proportions and 95% confidence intervals for patients in the triple combination arm who experience toxicities and other types of AEs and serious AEs.
Time frame: Assessed up to 24 months
Overall Survival (OS)
Time from enrollment to death or censoring, whichever occurs first. We will use the log-rank test to compare OS between the triple combination arm relative to the historical control arm.
Time frame: Assessed up to 5 years
Augmentation of TTFields-initiated Glioma-specific Immune Reaction by Pembrolizumab
We will use mixed effect regression to assess changes in response variables related to glioma-specific immune reaction before, during, and after treatment with pembrolizumab.
Time frame: Assessed up to 24 months
Recruitment began in 2018 and lasted until July 2021. Patients with newly diagnosed GBM who completed standard of care radiation therapy together with concomitant TMZ were recruited. Neuro-oncologists identified subjects as part of routine clinical care. Patients with newly-diagnosed GBM who underwent maximal safe resection followed by chemoradiation consisting of concomitant TMZ 75mg/m2 daily and RT with minimal RT dose of 40gy were eligible for this trial.
| Milestone | Optune System Combined With Temozolomide (TMZ) + Pembrolizumab | Historical Control |
|---|---|---|
| Started | 31 | 466 |
| Completed | 26 | 466 |
| Not completed | 5 | 0 |
| Withdrew: O did not start or discontinued ttf during cycle 1 of tmz for personal reasons | 4 | 0 |
| Withdrew: O did not receive pembrolizumab | 1 | 0 |
Time from enrollment to progression or death or censoring, whichever occurs first. The study team will use the one-sample log-rank test to compare PFS in the triple combination arm relative to the historical control arm to determine whether the triple combination treatment increases PFS in newly diagnosed GBM patients when compared to TTFields+TMZ historical control patients from the EF-14 study. Evaluability for progression free survival required participants to receive adjuvant TMZ, Optune and at least 1 dose of pembrolizumab.
| months | Optune System Combined With Temozolomide (TMZ) + Pembrolizumab | Historical Control |
|---|---|---|
| Progression-free Survival Between the Groups From Time of Enrollment | 11.79 (8.71 to 22.72) | 6.7 (6.1 to 8.1) |
The descriptions and grading scales found in the revised NCI Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 4.0 will be utilized for all toxicity reporting for grade 3 or higher. We will estimate proportions and 95% confidence intervals for patients in the triple combination arm who experience toxicities and other types of AEs and serious AEs.
| Participants | Optune System Combined With Temozolomide (TMZ) + Pembrolizumab |
|---|---|
| Number of Participants With Toxicities, Serious Adverse Events and/or Other Adverse Events Treated With Triple Combination Treatment | 26 |
Time from enrollment to death or censoring, whichever occurs first. We will use the log-rank test to compare OS between the triple combination arm relative to the historical control arm.
Results for this outcome have not been posted.
We will use mixed effect regression to assess changes in response variables related to glioma-specific immune reaction before, during, and after treatment with pembrolizumab.
Results for this outcome have not been posted.
Collected over Adverse events were collected from the initiation of treatment with the adjuvant treatment with TMZ and the Optune device, and ended at least 30-days following last study treatment for up to 24 months. Twenty-eight participants met criteria for AE collection; two of those did not receive pembrolizumab.. Non-serious events are listed at a 5% frequency threshold.
| Group | Deaths | Serious | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Optune System Combined With Temozolomide (TMZ) + Pembrolizumab | 25/28 (89.3%) | 18/28 (64.3%) | 28/28 (100%) |
| Historical Control Optune System Combined With Temozolomide (TMZ) | 265/466 (56.9%) | 0/456 (0%) | 218/456 (47.8%) |
| Event | Optune System Combined With Temozolomide (TMZ) + Pembrolizumab | Historical Control Optune System Combined With Temozolomide (TMZ) |
|---|---|---|
| Intra-operative injury - BrainSurgical and medical procedures | 8/28 | 0/456 |
| InfectionInfections and infestations | 6/28 | 0/456 |
| SeizureNervous system disorders | 3/28 | 0/456 |
| HydrocephalusNervous system disorders | 2/28 | 0/456 |
| Neurology, otherNervous system disorders | 2/28 | 0/456 |
| Edema, head and neckBlood and lymphatic system disorders | 1/28 | 0/456 |
| Platelets, thrombocytopeniaBlood and lymphatic system disorders | 1/28 | 0/456 |
| HypotensionCardiac disorders | 1/28 | 0/456 |
| Supraventricular and nodal arrhythmia - Atrial fibrillationCardiac disorders | 1/28 | 0/456 |
| VomitingGastrointestinal disorders | 1/28 | 0/456 |
| Event | Optune System Combined With Temozolomide (TMZ) + Pembrolizumab | Historical Control Optune System Combined With Temozolomide (TMZ) |
|---|---|---|
| Gastrointestinal DisordersGastrointestinal disorders | 22/28 | 23/456 |
| Nervous System DisordersNervous system disorders | 21/28 | 109/456 |
| MusculoskeletalMusculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders | 19/28 | 21/456 |
| InfectionsInfections and infestations | 11/28 | 32/456 |
| Injury, poisoning and procedural complicationsInjury, poisoning and procedural complications | 10/28 | 24/456 |
| Blood and Bone MarrowBlood and lymphatic system disorders | 9/28 | 59/456 |
| RespiratoryRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders | 8/28 | 24/456 |
| MetabolismMetabolism and nutrition disorders | 3/28 | 16/456 |
Thirty-one participants were eligible. Twenty-six participants were treated with the combination of optune, adjuvant temozolomide and pembrolizumab and counted toward the primary outcome measure.
| Age, Categorical(Participants) | Optune System Combined With Temozolomide (TMZ) + Pembrolizumab | Historical Control | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| <=18 years | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Between 18 and 65 years | 22 | 377 | 399 |
| >=65 years | 9 | 89 | 98 |
| Age, Continuous(years) | Optune System Combined With Temozolomide (TMZ) + Pembrolizumab | Historical Control | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median | 60.5 (49.1 to 67) | 56 (19 to 83) | NA (NA to NA) |
| Sex: Female, Male(Participants) | Optune System Combined With Temozolomide (TMZ) + Pembrolizumab | Historical Control | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 9 | 150 | 159 |
| Male | 22 | 316 | 338 |
| Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)(Participants) | Optune System Combined With Temozolomide (TMZ) + Pembrolizumab | Historical Control | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino | 1 | 18 | 19 |
| Not Hispanic or Latino | 30 | 447 | 477 |
| Unknown or Not Reported | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Race (NIH/OMB)(Participants) | Optune System Combined With Temozolomide (TMZ) + Pembrolizumab | Historical Control | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Asian | 1 | 27 | 28 |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Black or African American | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| White | 28 | 416 | 444 |
| More than one race | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown or Not Reported | 0 | 19 | 19 |
| Region of Enrollment(participants) | Optune System Combined With Temozolomide (TMZ) + Pembrolizumab | Historical Control | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 31 | 221 | 252 |
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