ClinicalTrials.gg
RecruitingNCT05639972Updated Oct 28, 2026

E7 T-cell Receptor (TCR) -T Cell Induction Therapy for Locoregionally Advanced HPV-associated Cancers

A Phase 1/2 interventional study of E7 TCR-T cells and Aldesleukin in HPV-Associated Cervical Carcinoma, HPV-Related Carcinoma and HPV-Related Malignancy, sponsored by Christian Hinrichs. Recruiting at 2 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-28.

Sponsored by Christian Hinrichs · Phase 1/2, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Started Aug 2025; still recruiting 1 year 3 months later.
Updated Oct 28, 2026Study contact changedPrimary completion moved+1 moreGo to Updates ↓
Phase
Phase 1/2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
15
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The goal of this study is to determine the feasibility of administration of a single dose of E7 TCR-T cells as induction therapy prior to definitive treatment (chemoradiation or surgery) of locoregionally advanced HPV-associated cancers. The intent of E7 TCR-T cell treatment is to shrink or eliminate tumors and thereby facilitate definitive therapy and increase overall survival.

This study seeks to determine 1) if E7 TCR-T cells can be administered without undue delay in definitive treatment, 2) the tumor response rate to E7 TCR-T cell treatment, and 3) the disease-free survival rate at 2 and 5 years.

Participants will undergo an apheresis procedure to obtain T cells that will be genetically engineered to generate E7 TCR-T cells. They will receive a conditioning regimen, a single infusion of their own E7 TCR-T cells, and adjuvant aldesleukin. Participants will follow up to assess safety and determine tumor response and will return to their primary oncology team for definitive therapy.

Read the detailed description

This is a single-arm, single-cohort, single-center, feasibility study to determine the feasibility of E7 TCR-T cell induction therapy for locoregionally advanced human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cancers (LAHPVC). Participants must have LAHPVC with HPV-16-positive cancer (tumor test) and the human leukocyte antigens (HLA)-A*02:01 allele (blood test). Participants will undergo apheresis for generation of autologous, gene-engineered, E7 TCR-T cells. One week after apheresis, they will receive a non-myeloablative lymphocyte-depleting preparative regimen of cyclophosphamide and fludarabine. Conditioning will be followed by a single infusion of E7 TCR T cells and adjuvant high-dose aldesleukin. Participants will follow up 3 weeks and 6 weeks after treatment. Tumor response will be assessed by imaging studies at the 6-week time point. Participants will be referred back to their primary oncology team for definitive therapy after the 6-week assessment (or earlier if tumors do not appear to be responding). Participants will be followed to determine 2- and 5-year disease free survival.

02

Conditions studied

  • HPV-Associated Cervical Carcinoma
  • HPV-Related Carcinoma
  • HPV-Related Malignancy
  • HPV Positive Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
  • HPV-Related Adenocarcinoma
  • HPV-Related Adenosquamous Carcinoma
  • HPV-Related Squamous Cell Carcinoma
  • HPV-Related Anal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
  • HPV-Related Penile Squamous Cell Carcinoma
  • HPV-Related Vulvar Squamous Cell Carcinoma
  • HPV-Related Endocervical Adenocarcinoma
  • Cervical Cancer
  • Oropharynx Cancer
  • Anal Cancer
  • Vulvar Cancer
  • Penile Cancer
  • Vaginal Cancer

Keywords

  • HPV
  • Cell therapy
  • Adoptive cell therapy
  • Immunotherapy
  • Radiation
  • Chemoradiation
  • CAR-T, cell therapy
  • Tumor infiltrating lymphocyte
  • TCR
  • T cell
  • Gene therapy
  • Cervical cancer
  • Oropharyngeal cancer
  • Anal cancer
  • Vulvar cancer
  • Vaginal cancer
  • Penile cancer
  • Induction therapy
03

In context

Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

2,366 studies on the registry are indexed under Uterine Cervical Neoplasms; 677 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 15 is below the median of 100 across 1,738 interventional studies indexed under Uterine Cervical Neoplasms.

Browse Uterine Cervical Neoplasms studies →

Lead sponsor

Christian Hinrichs is the lead sponsor of 3 studies on the registry; 3 are open to participants now.

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

04

Who can participate

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

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria: Subjects must meet all the following criteria to participate in this study.

  1. confirmed carcinoma of a primary tumor site and stage indicated in Table 3 of the protocol.
  2. Tumor with HPV16 genotype as determined by testing performed in a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) certified laboratory.
  3. HLA-A*02:01 allele determined by testing performed in a CLIA certified laboratory. Participants may be enrolled based on low resolution typing (i.e., HLA-A*02) but the HLA-A*02:01 allele type must be confirmed prior to apheresis.
  4. per Criteria Version 1.1 or PERCIST.
  5. Age ≥ 18 years.
  6. (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1 at screening.
  7. Negative pregnancy test for women under 55 and all women who have had a menstrual period in the last 12 months. A pregnancy test is not required for women who have had a bilateral oophorectomy or hysterectomy.
  8. Men and women of must agree to use adequate (i.e., intrauterine device, hormonal barrier method of birth control, abstinence, tubal ligation, or vasectomy) prior to study entry and for four months after treatment. Should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while she is participating in this study, she should inform her treating physician immediately.
  9. Seronegative for antibody, surface antigen (HBsAg), and antibody. If a hepatitis C antibody test is positive, then testing for antigen by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) must be negative.
  10. Participants must have organ and marrow function as defined below:

    1. Leukocytes > 3,000/mcL
    2. > 1,500/mcL
    3. > 100,000/mcL
    4. > 9.0 g/dL
    5. Total within normal institutional limits except in participants with Gilbert's Syndrome who must have a total bilirubin \< 3.0 mg/dL.
    6. Serum (AST) (SGOT)/ alanine transaminase (ALT) (SGPT) \< 2.5 x (ULN)
    7. Calculated (CrCl) >50 mL/min/1.73 m2 for participants with creatinine levels above institutional normal (by the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration () equation).
    8. (INR) or activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) ≤1.5 X ULN unless the subject is receiving anticoagulant therapy. Subjects on anticoagulant therapy must have a PT or aPTT within therapeutic range and no history of severe hemorrhage.
  11. Participants must be able to understand and be willing to sign the written document.
  12. Participants must agree to participate in Rutgers protocol 192103 (Pro2021002307) for gene therapy long term follow up and in Rutgers protocol 192002 (Pro2021000281) for biospecimen studies.

Note: Patients may have undergone minor surgical procedures with the past three weeks, as long as all toxicities have recovered to Grade 1 or less.

Exclusion Criteria: Subjects who meet any of the following criteria will be excluded from participation in this study:

  1. Have received prior systemic therapy or definitive chemoradiation for the cancer that is being treated on this protocol. Palliative radiation therapy for symptom management, such as to control tumor-induced bleeding, is permitted.
  2. Current treatment with another agent.
  3. History of severe allergic reactions to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to agents used in this study.
  4. Uncontrolled intercurrent illness such as active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, or psychiatric illness/social situations at the time of treatment that would limit compliance with study requirements.
  5. Subjects with HLA-A*02:01 damaging mutation or allele loss detected by research or clinical sequencing will not be eligible.
  6. Documented of less than or equal to 45% tested. The following participants will undergo cardiac evaluations:

    1. atrial and/or ventricular arrhythmias including but not limited to: atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, second or third degree heart block or
    2. Age ≥ 50 years old
  7. Participants with baseline screening pulse oxygen level of ≤ 92% on room air will not be eligible. If the underlying cause of hypoxia improves, they may be reevaluated.
  8. Because there is an unknown but potential risk for adverse events in nursing infants secondary to treatment of the mother with E7 TCR T cells, breastfeeding should be discontinued if the mother is treated with E7 TCR T cells. These potential risks may also apply to other agents used in this study.
  9. Participants with a systemic immunodeficiency including acquired deficiency such as HIV or primary immunodeficiency such as Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Disease are ineligible. The experimental treatment being evaluated in this protocol depends on an intact immune system. Participants who have decreased immune competence may be less responsive to the treatment.
  10. Participants on drugs including unless meeting criteria outlined in Section 6.1 (Prohibited Medications).
  11. Participants with potentially severe diseases such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune hepatitis, autoimmune pancreatitis, or systemic lupus erythematosus are not eligible. Patients with less severe autoimmune diseases such as hypothyroidism, vitiligo, and other minor autoimmune disorders are eligible.
  12. Participants with prior or concurrent whose natural history or treatment is unlikely to interfere with the safety or efficacy assessments of the investigational regimen are eligible for this trial. Examples include, but are not limited to:

    1. Carcinoma in situ
    2. Cutaneous skin cancers requiring only local excision
    3. Low grade non-muscle invasive bladder cancer
    4. Low grade prostate cancer
  13. Subjects who received a within 30 days prior to enrollment are not eligible.
  14. Determination by the Principal Investigator that participation is not in the best interest of the research subject or may jeopardize the safety of the subject or integrity of the clinical trial data.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(27)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Histologically or cytologically confirmed

The diagnosis was confirmed by looking at a sample under a microscope: tissue from a biopsy or surgery (histology), or cells from a fluid or needle sample (cytology).

Your pathology report is the document that shows this.

Measurable disease

The amount of disease can be tracked with a defined measurement, so the study can see whether it shrinks or grows. It might be a tumour measured on a scan or, in some blood cancers such as myeloma, a marker measured in blood or urine.

The criteria or the study team say which measurement counts — having no tumour visible on a scan does not by itself rule you out.

RECIST

The standard rules for measuring tumours on CT or MRI scans, to tell whether a cancer is shrinking, stable or growing during treatment.

“Measurable disease per RECIST 1.1” usually means at least one tumour 10 mm or more at its longest on a CT scan, or a lymph node 15 mm or more across its short axis.

ECOG performance status

A scale of how much an illness limits everyday activity. For people being assessed to join a study, scores run from 0 (fully active) to 4; lower is more active.

0
Fully active, no restrictions.
1
Limited in strenuous activity, but walking and able to do light work, such as housework or office work.
2
Walking and able to look after yourself, but unable to work; up and about more than half of waking hours.
3
Able to look after yourself only in part; in bed or a chair more than half of waking hours.
4
Unable to look after yourself at all; in bed or a chair all day.

Studies most often ask for 0–1 or 0–2. Your doctor gives the score; the WHO scale uses the same steps. The full scale also has 5, which records death.

Childbearing potential

Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).

Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.

Contraception

Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.

Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.

HIV

The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.

Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.

Hepatitis B tests

Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver. These are separate tests: HBsAg positive usually means a current infection (a recent vaccination can briefly cause it too); total anti-HBc (HBcAb) positive means an infection now or in the past; HBV DNA measures how much virus is in the blood.

Some studies accept a past infection if HBV DNA is undetectable, sometimes with antiviral medicine during the study. Check what this study allows.

Hepatitis C tests

Hepatitis C is a virus that infects the liver. An HCV antibody test can stay positive after an infection has cleared (and is occasionally positive without one); an HCV RNA test shows whether the virus is there now.

After treatment, hepatitis C counts as cured when HCV RNA is still undetectable 12 weeks or more after the treatment ended. Studies often accept people cured this way.

Absolute neutrophil count (ANC)

The number of neutrophils, white blood cells that help fight infection, in a given amount of blood. Too few raises the risk of infection.

It is a count, not a percentage of the white cells. Limits are written in units that mean the same: ≥ 1.5 × 10⁹/L is ≥ 1,500 per mm³ (µL). Each lab has its own reference range.

Platelets

Blood cells that help blood clot. Too few raises the risk of bleeding and bruising. A usual adult range is about 150–400 × 10⁹/L (150,000–400,000 per µL); each lab has its own reference range.

Hemoglobin (Hb)

The protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. A low level is anaemia, which can cause tiredness and breathlessness. Measured in g/dL or g/L (9 g/dL is 90 g/L).

Bilirubin

A yellow substance made when red blood cells are broken down, which the liver clears. A high level can mean a problem with the liver or the bile ducts.

Criteria often allow more for people with Gilbert’s syndrome, a harmless inherited condition that raises bilirubin.

ALT and AST (liver enzymes)

Two enzymes measured in a routine blood test of the liver. Higher levels can mean the liver is under strain or damaged. SGPT and SGOT are older names for ALT and AST.

Criteria usually give a limit as a multiple of the upper limit of normal (ULN), often higher when cancer has spread to the liver.

ULN (upper limit of normal)

The top of the normal range for a blood test, as set by the laboratory that runs it. Each lab prints its own range next to your result.

“≤ 2.5 × ULN” means the result can be up to two and a half times that top value.

Creatinine clearance (CrCl)

How quickly the kidneys clear creatinine, a waste product, from the blood. A study may estimate it from a blood test with age, weight and sex (often by the Cockcroft–Gault formula), or measure it using blood and urine collected over a set time. Given in mL/min; higher is better.

GFR and eGFR (kidney filtering)

GFR (glomerular filtration rate) is how much blood the kidneys filter each minute. It is usually estimated from a blood test — eGFR, by formulas such as CKD-EPI or MDRD — and some studies ask for it to be measured directly instead. Usually given in mL/min/1.73 m².

Check the method, the units and the minimum the study states. A value of 90 or above is in the normal-or-high range, but kidney damage can show in other tests too.

INR, PT and aPTT (clotting tests)

Blood tests of how long blood takes to clot. The INR is the prothrombin time (PT) put on a common scale; about 1 is usual for someone not taking a blood thinner.

Criteria often make an exception for people on a blood thinner such as warfarin, whose INR is raised on purpose.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

Investigational drug or device

A drug or device being studied in a clinical trial.

It may be new, or already approved and being studied for another use, dose or form. Criteria often leave out people who took part in another study of one within a recent period, commonly 30 days or five half-lives.

LVEF (left ventricular ejection fraction)

The share of blood the heart’s main pumping chamber (the left ventricle) pushes out with each beat, measured by an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) or a MUGA scan. About 50–70% is normal.

Clinically significant

Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.

Immunosuppression

A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.

Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.

Corticosteroids (steroids)

Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.

Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.

Autoimmune disease

A condition in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease.

Immunotherapy studies often leave out active autoimmune disease, and some name exceptions, such as thyroid disease on replacement hormone. Check the exceptions this study lists.

Cancer (malignancy)

Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.

Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.

Live vaccines

Vaccines made with a weakened form of the germ, such as measles–mumps–rubella (MMR), chickenpox and yellow fever. They can be risky when the immune system is weakened. Flu injections are not live; the nasal flu spray is.

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 1 / Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
15 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    E7 TCR-T cells

    Subjects will receive a conditioning regimen, E7 TCR-T cells, and aldesleukin.

    Biological: E7 TCR-T cells · Drug: Aldesleukin

Interventions

  • BiologicalE7 TCR-T cells

    Participants will receive a conditioning regimen consisting of cyclophosphamide and fludarabine. E7 TCR-T cells will be administered as a single intravenous infusion.

    Also known as: E7 TCR, HPV TCR, TIL, Adoptive cell transfer, CAR-T, TCR

  • Within 24 hours after E7 TCR-T cell infusion, aldesleukin 720,000 IU/kg IV will be administered every 8 hours as an inpatient for up to 3 doses. Aldesleukin dosing will be stopped for aldesleukin-related grade 3 or greater toxicity other than flushing, fever, chills, or hemodynamic changes (tachycardia or hypotension) that respond to crystalloid infusion. Aldesleukin may also be stopped at any time at investigator discretion.

    Also known as: Proleukin

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Feasibility of administering E7 TCR-T cell therapy as induction treatment for LAHPVC

    Proportion of subjects who complete treatment without an event that meets criteria for feasibility failure

    Time frame: 6 weeks

Secondary outcomes

  1. Objective tumor response rate at 6-weeks after treatment

    Tumor response as assessed by imaging using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) criteria Version 1.1 or PERCIST

    Time frame: 6 weeks

  2. 2-year and 5-year disease free survival (DFS)

    DFS will be determined using the Kaplan-Meier method

    Time frame: 5 years

07

Study locations

2 of 2 sites recruiting
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Nagarsheth NB, Norberg SM, Sinkoe AL, Adhikary S, Meyer TJ, Lack JB, Warner AC, Schweitzer C, Doran SL, Korrapati S, Stevanovic S, Trimble CL, Kanakry JA, Bagheri MH, Ferraro E, Astrow SH, Bot A, Faquin WC, Stroncek D, Gkitsas N, Highfill S, Hinrichs CS. TCR-engineered T cells targeting E7 for patients with metastatic HPV-associated epithelial cancers. Nat Med. 2021 Mar;27(3):419-425. doi: 10.1038/s41591-020-01225-1. Epub 2021 Feb 8. PubMed 33558725 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Yes — Individual participant data that underlie the results reported in this article, after deidentification (text, tables, figures, and appendices).

Supporting information: Statistical analysis plan

Time frame: Data will be made available through the publisher at the time of publication.

Access criteria: Data will be accessible through the publisher.

09

Updates

2 registry updates since Sep 25, 2026
Primary completion
Oct 1, 2026→Oct 1, 2028
Oct 6, 2026
Study completion
Oct 1, 2026→Oct 1, 2028
Oct 6, 2026
Contact
Study contact changed: o•••@cinj.rutgers.edu · •••2406→c•••@cinj.rutgers.edu · •••7356. See the current contact
Oct 28, 2026
Site contacts
Changed at 2 sites. See the sites
Show 2 sites
  • Rutgers Cancer Institute · New Brunswick, United StatesContact o•••@cinj.rutgers.edu · •••2406→c•••@cinj.rutgers.edu · •••7356
  • RWJBarnabas Health - Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital · New Brunswick, United StatesContact o•••@cinj.rutgers.edu · •••2406→c•••@cinj.rutgers.edu · •••7356
Oct 28, 2026
Show all 2 updates
  1. Oct 28, 2026
    Contact Study contact changed: o•••@cinj.rutgers.edu · •••2406→c•••@cinj.rutgers.edu · •••7356. See the current contact
    Site contacts Changed at 2 sites. See the sites
    Show 2 sites
    • Rutgers Cancer Institute · New Brunswick, United StatesContact o•••@cinj.rutgers.edu · •••2406→c•••@cinj.rutgers.edu · •••7356
    • RWJBarnabas Health - Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital · New Brunswick, United StatesContact o•••@cinj.rutgers.edu · •••2406→c•••@cinj.rutgers.edu · •••7356
  2. Oct 6, 2026
    Primary completion Oct 1, 2026→Oct 1, 2028
    Study completion Oct 1, 2026→Oct 1, 2028
    + 1 other change: verification date

From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05639972
Lead sponsor
Christian Hinrichs
Collaborators
Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc.
Responsible party
Christian Hinrichs (Chief, Section of Cancer Immunotherapy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey) — Sponsor-investigator
First posted
Dec 7, 2022
Start date
Aug 11, 2025
Primary completion
Oct 1, 2028 (estimated)
Completion
Oct 1, 2028 (estimated)
Last update
Oct 28, 2026

Study contacts

Cell Therapy Clinical Research Team
Contact
celltherapy@cinj.rutgers.edu
732-235-7356
Christian S Hinrichs, MD
principal investigator · Rutgers Cancer Institute

Oversight

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

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