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Not yet recruitingNCT06870994Updated Apr 24, 2026

Intratumoral Targeted Hyperthermia Therapy (THT) for Cutaneous Metastatic Melanoma

An interventional study of Targeted Hyperthermia Therapy in Cutaneous Metastatic Melanoma, sponsored by Sona Nanotech Inc. Not yet recruiting. Open to participants aged 16 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-04-24.

Sponsored by Sona Nanotech Inc · Not applicable, Interventional, and Device feasibility

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
10
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
16 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This device phase I/II, first in human, early feasibility study (EFS), open-label, single-arm trial aims to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of Gold Nanorod (GNR)-enabled sub-ablative targeted hyperthermia therapy (THT) in patients with unresectable stage 3C/3D/4M1 cutaneous metastatic malignant melanoma that have failed to respond to systemic checkpoint and localized intra-tumoral immunotherapy. The study will involve up to 10 participants with stable or progressive cutaneous and/or subcutaneous skin lesions (Immune Stable Disease (iSD) or Immune Confirmed/Unconfirmed Progressive Disease (iCPD/iUPD)).

GNRs, when administered via intra-tumoral injection and activated by NIR light, generate localized heat through a process called THT. This approach selectively targets tumor cells while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue. In this study, 10 participants will receive two THT treatments spaced 7 days apart.

The primary objective of this study is to assess the safety and tolerability of THT treatment.

02

Conditions studied

  • Cutaneous Metastatic Melanoma

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Keywords

  • Hyperthermia
  • Gold Nanorods
  • Targeted Hyperthermia
  • Near Infrared Light
  • Cutaneous Metastatic Melanoma Treatment
  • Immunotherapy
03

In context

Hyperthermia

256 studies on the registry are indexed under Hyperthermia; 73 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 10 is below the median of 40 across 232 interventional studies indexed under Hyperthermia.

Browse Hyperthermia studies →

Lead sponsor

Sona Nanotech Inc is the lead sponsor of 4 studies on the registry; 1 is open to participants now.

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

04

Who can participate

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

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  1. 16 years of age or older;
  2. Participants with or cytologically confirmed stage 3C/3D/4M1 advanced or cutaneous melanoma, with by 1.1 criteria, including any number of cutaneous lesions;
  3. Present a visible and accessible primary tumor or metastatic deposit (any site) that has not been surgically removed;
  4. Present target tumors of ≤2.5 cm in diameter;
  5. Participants must have received and failed systemic and local intra-tumoral therapy at least one prior standard therapy, including (e.g., anti- PD1 or anti-CTLA-4), and failed local intra-tumoral IL-2 treatment. Failed response to treatment will be categorized according to iRECIST guidelines. Patients who have: a) Immune partial response (iPR): At least a 30% decrease in the sum of diameters of target lesions compared to baseline, no progression of non-target lesions, No new lesions; or b) Immune Stable Disease (iSD): Neither sufficient reduction to qualify for iPR nor sufficient increase to qualify for iCPD (immune confirmed progressive disease), no new lesions; or c) Immune Unconfirmed Progressive Disease (iUPD): At least a 20% increase in the sum of diameters of target lesions, taking the smallest sum on study as the reference, appearance of new lesions, iUPD needs confirmation after at least 4 weeks; if confirmed, it becomes iCPD; or d) Immune Confirmed Progressive Disease (iCPD): iUPD must be confirmed in a follow-up assessment (minimum of 4 weeks after initial iUPD), if progressive disease (increase in lesion size or additional new lesions) is still evident upon re-evaluation, iCPD is confirmed.
  6. Participants must agree to discontinue treatment with local intralesional immunotherapies during the study, with resumption after completion of the trial;
  7. Performance Status: ≤1;
  8. : ≥6 months;
  9. Participants able and willing to provide written and comply with the trial protocol.
  10. Either BRAF positive (BRAF+) or BRAF negative (BRAF-).

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria:

  1. Women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant during the study. Women of must have a negative pregnancy test within 72 hours prior to enrollment and agree to use adequate throughout the study;
  2. Any infection requiring systemic therapy or other concurrent medical conditions (e.g., , , ) that would interfere with the study;
  3. Myocardial infarction or stroke within the past 6 months, uncontrolled angina, or significant arrhythmia;
  4. Participants receiving blood thinners as part of therapeutic anticoagulation therapy;
  5. Any severe or uncontrolled comorbid condition that, in the investigator's opinion, would pose excessive risk to the participants (e.g., immunodeficiencies, severe hypertension, uncontrolled diabetes, liver failure);
  6. Participation in another clinical trial involving an product/device within 30 days prior to screening;
  7. Any condition that would impede compliance with study procedures;
  8. Participants with a known allergy to gold of any kind;
  9. Participants who are unable to tolerate cutaneous injections for any reason will not be eligible;
  10. Participants with a known allergy to injectable local analgesics;
  11. Participants with ocular melanoma or melanoma involving periorbital skin.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(14)

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.

Metastases

Cancer that has spread from where it began to other parts of the body. “Metastatic” cancer is cancer that has spread this way.

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.

iRECIST and mRECIST

Versions of RECIST adapted to particular cases. iRECIST is for immunotherapy, where a tumour can look bigger for a while before it shrinks, so growth has to be confirmed on a later scan. mRECIST usually means the version for liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma), which measures only the part of a tumour that still has a blood supply.

PD-1, PD-L1 and checkpoint inhibitors

PD-1, PD-L1 and CTLA-4 are proteins that act as brakes on the immune system. Checkpoint inhibitors, such as pembrolizumab or nivolumab, block them so the immune system can attack a cancer.

PD-L1 can also be measured in a tumour sample. Some scores count stained tumour cells only (TPS); others also count certain immune cells (CPS). The study names the score and the minimum it uses.

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.

Life expectancy

The study doctor’s estimate of how long someone is likely to live. Criteria use it so that people can stay in the study long enough for it to answer its question.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Device feasibility
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
10 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Targeted Hyperthermia Therapy

    Device: Targeted Hyperthermia Therapy

Interventions

  • DeviceTargeted Hyperthermia Therapy

    Intra-tumoral gold nanorods (SivaRods) exposed to Near Infrared Light (860 +/- 10nm) mediated targeted hyperthermia therapy

    Also known as: Gold Nanorods, Gold Nanoparticles

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Number of participants that successfully complete THT (maintain intra-tumoral temperatures of 42-48C)

    Total number of participants that successfully complete targeted hyperthermia therapy ie. maintain an intra-tumoral temperatures between 42-48C for 5 minutes

    Time frame: 1 year

  2. Number of participants with treatment-related adverse events as assessed by CTCAE v5.0

    The total number of participants experiencing adverse events, including serious adverse events, will be monitored and graded according to NCI CTCAE v5.0

    Time frame: 1 year

  3. Number of participants that have a tumor response as assessed by iRECIST 1.1 criteria

    The total number of participants that have a tumor response to targeted hyperthermia therapy as assessed by iRECIST 1.1 criteria

    Time frame: 1 year

Secondary outcomes

  1. Number of participant's that have an increase in immune cell infiltrates in the tumor biopsy and blood samples post THT compared to pre-treatment patient samples

    The total number of participants that have an increase in immune cell infiltrates in their tumor biopsy and blood samples following targeted hyperthermia therapy compared to patients biopsy and blood samples obtained before treatment

    Time frame: 1 year

07

Study locations

No study locations are listed for this record.

08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Yes

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Apr 24, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06870994
Lead sponsor
Sona Nanotech Inc
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Mar 11, 2025
Start date
Oct 1, 2026 (estimated)
Primary completion
Dec 30, 2026 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 30, 2026 (estimated)
Last update
Apr 24, 2026

Study contacts

Carman Giacomantonio, MD
Contact
carman.giacomantonio@nshealth.ca
902-473-6177
Len Pagliaro, PhD
Contact
len@sonanano.com
+1 (425) 443-4344
Lucy K Helyer, MD
principal investigator · Nova Scotia Health

Oversight

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

Not currently enrolling

This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Apr 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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Discussion

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