ClinicalTrials.gg
RecruitingNCT07087002Updated Oct 9, 2026

GPC2-CAR T Cell Therapy for Relapsed or Refractory Medulloblastoma in Children and Young Adults

A Phase 1 interventional study of GPC2-CAR T cells and Fludarabine in Medulloblastoma, Central Nervous System Embryonal Tumor and Refractory Medulloblastoma, sponsored by Stanford University. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 1 Year to 30 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-09.

Sponsored by Stanford University · Phase 1, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Started Aug 2025; still recruiting 1 year 2 months later.
Phase
Phase 1
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
18
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
1 Year to 30 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This is a single-site, open-label Phase I treatment study evaluating the manufacturing feasibility and safety of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells targeting the oncofetal protein Glypican-2 (GPC2) in pediatric and young adult patients with recurrent or refractory (R/R) medulloblastoma. Subjects with other non-medulloblastoma CNS embryonal tumors may enroll.

02

Conditions studied

  • Medulloblastoma
  • Central Nervous System Embryonal Tumor
  • Refractory Medulloblastoma
  • Recurrent Medulloblastoma
  • Pediatric Brain Tumor
  • Embryonal Tumor With Multilayered Rosettes (ETMR)
  • Pineoblastoma
  • Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumor (ATRT) of the CNS
  • CNS Neuroblastoma
  • FOXR2-activated
  • Childhood

Keywords

  • GPC2-CAR T cells
  • Chimeric Antigen Receptor T cells
  • Intracerebroventricular CAR T
  • Pediatric CNS tumors
  • Immunotherapy
  • Medulloblastoma
  • Refractory brain tumors
  • T cell therapy
  • Embryonal Tumor with Multilayered Rosettes (ETMR)
  • Pineoblastoma
  • Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumor (ATRT) of the CNS
  • CNS neuroblastoma
  • FOXR2-activated
03

In context

Medulloblastoma

317 studies on the registry are indexed under Medulloblastoma; 51 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 18 is below the median of 31 across 255 interventional studies indexed under Medulloblastoma.

Browse Medulloblastoma studies →

Lead sponsor

Stanford University is the lead sponsor of 2,168 studies on the registry; 431 are open to participants now.

Of its 267 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 207 (78%) have results posted.

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

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
1 Year to 30 Years
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. Diagnosis: confirmed diagnosis of medulloblastoma or other primary CNS embryonal tumor according to 2021 CNS WHO Classification (5th edition)

    • Other acceptable CNS embryonal tumors include:
    • Embryonal Tumor with Multilayered Rosettes (ETMR)
    • Pineoblastoma
    • Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumor (ATRT) of the CNS
    • CNS neuroblastoma, FOXR2-activated
    • CNS Embryonal Tumor NOS
  2. Recurrent/ Disease: History of relapsed and/or recurrent disease defined as tumor progression or recurrence following initial diagnosis and upfront treatment with curative intent, or failure to achieve disease control with standard curative-intent therapy.
  3. GPC2 Positive: H-score ≥ 100 by IHC staining performed on the (Prescreening Protocol IRB-78780, PI: Katherine Ryan, DO) at Stanford Clinical Anatomic Pathology Lab for GPC2 from a tumor sample any time since initial diagnosis.
  4. Evaluable Disease: Evaluable disease as per radiographic findings and/or positive cerebrospinal fluid cytology within 28 days of enrollment.
  5. Patients with VP shunts: Patients with pre-existing ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) shunt devices must have a programmable shunt device to enroll on this study. A VP shunt is not a requirement for this study.
  6. Prior therapy: No limit to the number of prior treatment regimens. Toxicities due to prior therapy must be stable or recovered to ≤ Grade 1 (except for clinically non-significant toxicities such as alopecia, nutritional support measures, electrolyte abnormalities, or those not impacting the investigator's ability to assess treatment emergent toxicities).

    At time of enrollment, subjects are on track to meet the required therapy wash out period(s) prior to apheresis.

    a. At least 6 weeks following craniospinal radiation therapy. i. At least 14 days wash-out needed following small volume radiotherapy (i.e., Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS)).

    b. At least 21 days or 5 half-lives (whichever is shorter) must have elapsed since any prior systemic therapy, except for systemic inhibitory/stimulatory immune checkpoint therapy, which requires 5 half-lives.

    c. At least 28 days following bevacizumab treatment. d. At least 30 days following any drug. e. At least 12 weeks following systemic inhibitory or stimulatory immune checkpoint therapy.

  7. Age: ≥ 12 months to ≤ 30 years of age at time of enrollment The first 3 subjects treated with GPC2-CAR T cells must be ≥ 3 years old at time of infusion
  8. Performance Status: Subjects ≥ 16 years of age must have ≥ 60%. Subjects \< 16 years of age must have Lansky scale 60%; or performance status ≤ 2 (see Section 11.3).
  9. Normal Organ and Marrow Function [supportive care is allowed per institutional standards, i.e., filgrastim, transfusion]

    1. ≥ 8 g/dL
    2. (ANC) ≥ 1,000/μL
    3. count ≥ 75,000/μL, with no platelet transfusion within 96 hours prior to enrollment
    4. Absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) ≥ 150/μL
    5. , PTT ≤ 1.5 x for age

      Adequate renal, hepatic, cardiac, and pulmonary function defined as:

    6. Serum creatinine \< 1.5 x ULN for age and gender, OR or (radioisotope or iothalamate) ≥ 70 mL/min/1.73 m2
    7. Serum or AST ≤ 3x ULN
    8. Total ≤ 1.5 mg/dL, unless subject has Gilbert's Syndrome
    9. Cardiac ≥ 45%
    10. No evidence of physiologically significant pericardial effusion as determined by an ECHO
    11. No findings
    12. No clinically significant pleural effusion
    13. Pulse oximetry ≥ 92% on room air, OR forced vital capacity ≥ 50% of predicted value
  10. Not Pregnant: Females of must have a negative pregnancy test.
  11. : Subjects of child-bearing or child-fathering potential must be willing to practice birth control from the time of enrollment on this study and for four (4) months after receiving the preparative regimen or for as long as CAR T cells are detectable in peripheral blood.
  12. Must provide . All subjects ≥ 18 years of age must be able to give informed consent. For subjects \<18 years old or adults with limited decision-making capacity, their legal authorized representative (LAR) (i.e., parent or guardian) must give informed consent. Pediatric subjects will be included in age-appropriate discussion and assent will be obtained for those > 7 years of age, when appropriate. If a minor becomes of age during participation of this study, he/she will be asked to reconsent as an adult.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria

  1. Any patient with disease OUTSIDE the CNS.
  2. Unwilling or unable, in the investigator's judgement, to have a CSF reservoir (Ommaya or Rickham) placed. Does not apply to subjects who have a pre-existing device suitable for ICV delivery of CAR T cells and ICP monitoring.
  3. Clinical evidence of active/on-going significant increased intracranial pressure (i.e., impending herniation) or uncontrolled seizures.
  4. Prior receipt of a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-based therapy.
  5. Currently receiving anticoagulation therapy.
  6. Known history of infection with or (HBsAg positive) or virus (anti-HCV positive).

    EXCEPTION: A history of hepatitis B or hepatitis C is permitted if the viral load is undetectable per quantitative PCR and/or nucleic acid testing.

  7. Pregnancy or breastfeeding in a postpartum female.
  8. Known sensitivity or allergy to any agents/reagents used in this study.
  9. History of prior other . EXCEPTION: Previously diagnosed and definitively treated more than 5 years prior to enrollment or whose prognosis is deemed good enough to not warrant surveillance.
  10. Primary immunodeficiency or history of disease (e.g., Crohn's, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus) resulting in end organ injury or requiring systemic /systemic disease modifying agents within the last 2 years.
  11. History of myocardial infarction, cardiac angioplasty or stenting, unstable angina, or other cardiac disease within 12 months of enrollment.
  12. Significant medical diseases or poorly controlled conditions that, in the judgement of the investigator, put the subject at an unacceptable risk of complications, including but not limited to: uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, , pulmonary fibrosis, clinically significant inflammatory disorders, immunodeficiency (e.g., HIV infection), immunocompromised for reasons other than malignancy (e.g., chronic therapy or other immunosuppressive therapy), renal failure including patients requiring dialysis, or clinically significant liver dysfunction.
  13. In the Investigator's judgment, the subject or parents/caregivers (as required) will not be able to comply with the study procedures outlined in the study protocol including follow-up visits.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(29)

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.

Relapsed and refractory

Relapsed: the illness came back after treatment had worked. Refractory: it did not respond to treatment, or stopped responding while still on it.

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.

Karnofsky performance status (KPS)

A 0–100 scale of how well someone can carry out everyday activities. 100 is no complaints and no signs of illness; 70 is able to look after yourself but not to work or keep up normal activity; 50 is needing considerable help and frequent medical care.

Studies often ask for 60 or 70 and above. Your doctor gives the score.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

ECG (electrocardiogram)

A recording of the heart’s electrical activity, taken with stickers on the chest, arms and legs. It takes a few minutes and does not hurt.

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.

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.

Metastases

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: long-term lung disease that makes it hard to breathe out, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

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.

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 1
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Sequential assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
18 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    GPC2-CAR T Cell Therapy

    Participants will undergo leukapheresis for collection of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, which will be used to manufacture autologous T cells transduced with a retroviral vector encoding a GPC2-targeted chimeric antigen receptor (GPC2-CAR T cells). After lymphodepleting chemotherapy with fludarabine and cyclophosphamide, participants will receive up to 16 cycles of intracerebroventricular (ICV) GPC2-CAR T cell infusions using an intrapatient dose escalation strategy.

    Genetic: GPC2-CAR T cells · Drug: Fludarabine · Drug: Cyclophosphamide

Interventions

  • GeneticGPC2-CAR T cells

    Autologous T cells transduced with a retroviral vector encoding a second-generation GPC2-targeted chimeric antigen receptor (GPC2-CAR), administered intracerebroventricularly. Up to 16 doses (cycles) are administered using an intrapatient dose-escalation strategy. Cycle 2 may occur no earlier than Day 28 following Cycle 1, and Cycles 3 through 16 may occur as early as Day 22 following the preceding cycle.

    Also known as: GPC2-directed CAR T cells

  • Participants who meet eligibility criteria for lymphodepletion chemotherapy will receive fludarabine 30 mg/m²/day administered intravenously on Days -4, -3, and -2 prior to study treatment. Participants weighing \<12 kg will receive protocol-specified dose adjustments.

  • Participants who meet eligibility criteria for lymphodepletion chemotherapy will receive cyclophosphamide 500 mg/m²/day administered intravenously on Days -4, -3, and -2 prior to study treatment. Participants weighing \<12 kg will receive protocol-specified dose adjustments.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Manufacturing Feasibility

    Proportion of manufacturing attempts that result in at least one dose of GPC2-CAR T cells that meet the IND release criteria and protocol-specified dose.

    Time frame: Up to 6 months post-leukapheresis

  2. Incidence of Dose Limiting Toxicities (DLTs)

    Number and severity of DLTs following GPC2-CAR T cell administration at each dose level using protocol-defined criteria.

    Time frame: Within first 28-day treatment cycle per dose level

Secondary outcomes

  1. Objective Response Rate (ORR)

    Percentage of subjects achieving a protocol-defined response (complete response, partial response, or stable disease) based on imaging and neurological exam.

    Time frame: Up to 2 years post-infusion

  2. Progression-Free Survival (PFS)

    Time from enrollment to radiographic disease progression.

    Time frame: Up to 2 years

  3. Overall Survival (OS)

    Time from initial diagnosis to death from any cause.

    Time frame: Up to 2 years

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
08

Timeline

1 registry update since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reachedSimilar studies: half by the dot; the band is the middle halfHalf of similar studies reached it by the dot; the band is the middle half, from a quarter to three quarters

Started Aug 2025 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Aug 2027, 24 months after the start.

Of 41 non-industry phase 1 interventional studies under Medulloblastoma, half reached primary completion within 65 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 44 and three quarters within 88. This study's planned 24 months is below that.

Counting every sponsor, half of 46 studies reached it within 65 months; a quarter within 44 and three quarters within 92.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Jun 24, 2025
First posted
Jul 25, 2025
StartActual
Aug 28, 2025
Primary completionEst.
Aug 2027
CompletionEst.
Aug 2027
Last update
Oct 9, 2026
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
Minor edits
Nothing that changes what the study is or who can join. Edited: verification date and conditions
1 update, last Oct 9, 2026
Show all 1 update
  1. Oct 9, 2026
    Minor edits only
    + 2 other changes: verification date and conditions

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 ↗

09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07087002
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jul 25, 2025
Start date
Aug 28, 2025
Primary completion
Aug 2027 (estimated)
Completion
Aug 2027 (estimated)
Last update
Oct 9, 2026

Study contacts

Mariah Duncan
Contact
GPC2CART@stanfordchildrens.org
(650) 497-8953
Katherine Ryan, DO
principal investigator · Stanford University

Oversight

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

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Studies of the drugs tested here: Fludarabine · Cyclophosphamide

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