A Vaccine (H2NVAC) Before Surgery for the Treatment of HER2-Expressing Ductal Carcinoma In Situ

NCT ID: NCT04144023

Last Updated: 2025-12-10

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

PHASE1

Total Enrollment

43 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2019-06-27

Study Completion Date

2025-12-31

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

This phase Ib trial studies the side effects and best dose of a vaccine called H2NVAC before surgery in treating patients with HER2 expressing ductal carcinoma in situ. H2NVAC is a vaccine designed to stimulate specialized white blood cells in hopes of increasing immune response and protecting against breast cancer.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To determine the safety and tolerability of multi-epitope HER2 peptide vaccine H2NVAC (H2NVAC) given for 4 treatments in patients with HER2-expressing ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) prior to surgery.

II. To determine the dose level of H2NVAC with maximum systemic and intratumoral immunogenicity as measured by activated HER2-specific T lymphocytes or high-affinity antibodies.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To determine intratumoral immunogenicity of H2NVAC in patients with HER2-expressing DCIS.

II. To assess the complete pathological response after 4 treatments of neoadjuvant H2NVAC.

III. To assess the systemic immunogenicity of H2NVAC in patients with HER2-expressing DCIS.

IV. To assess changes in HER2 expression in the DCIS after 4 treatments of neoadjuvant H2NVAC.

V. To assess the distribution of the helper T cell response among T helper cell differentiation states.

OUTLINE: This is a dose-escalation study of multi-epitope HER2 peptide vaccine H2NVAC followed by a dose expansion study for dose level.

Prior to standard of care surgery, patients treated at dose levels 1 and 2 receive granulocyte macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) admixed with multi-epitope HER2 peptide vaccine H2NVAC intradermally on day 1 of each cycle. Treatment repeats every 14 days for up to 4 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients treated at dose level 3 receive GM-CSF admixed with multi-epitope HER2 peptide vaccine H2NVAC intradermally on days 1, 4, 8, and 15 for 1 cycle. Patients also undergo echocardiography (ECHO) and collection of blood samples throughout the trial and may undergo biopsy on trial.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery and optionally at 18 and 24 months after surgery.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Breast Ductal Carcinoma In Situ

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

NA

Intervention Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

Treatment (multi-epitope HER2 peptide vaccine H2NVAC, GM-CSF)

Prior to standard of care surgery, patients treated at dose levels 1 and 2 receive GM-CSF admixed with multi-epitope HER2 peptide vaccine H2NVAC intradermally on day 1 of each cycle. Treatment repeats every 14 days for up to 4 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients treated at dose level 3 receive GM-CSF admixed with multi-epitope HER2 peptide vaccine H2NVAC intradermally on days 1, 4, 8, and 15 for 1 cycle. Patients also undergo ECHO and collection of blood samples throughout the trial and may undergo biopsy on trial.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Echocardiography Test

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Undergo ECHO

Biospecimen Collection

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Undergo collection of blood samples

Biopsy Procedure

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Undergo biopsy

Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor

Intervention Type BIOLOGICAL

Given intradermally

Multi-epitope HER2 Peptide Vaccine H2NVAC

Intervention Type BIOLOGICAL

Given intradermally

Therapeutic Conventional Surgery

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Undergo standard of care surgery

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Echocardiography Test

Undergo ECHO

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Biospecimen Collection

Undergo collection of blood samples

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Biopsy Procedure

Undergo biopsy

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor

Given intradermally

Intervention Type BIOLOGICAL

Multi-epitope HER2 Peptide Vaccine H2NVAC

Given intradermally

Intervention Type BIOLOGICAL

Therapeutic Conventional Surgery

Undergo standard of care surgery

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Other Intervention Names

Discover alternative or legacy names that may be used to describe the listed interventions across different sources.

Colony Stimulating Factor 2 Colony Stimulating Factor, Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor Colony-Stimulating Factor 2 CSF CSF2 GM CSF GM-CSF GMCSF Granulocyte Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor Granulocyte Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor H2NVAC HER2 Peptide Vaccine H2NVAC HER2 Specific Helper T-cell Epitope Vaccine H2NVAC EC ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY ECHO Biological Sample Collection Biospecimen Collected Specimen Collection BIOPSY BIOPSY_TYPE

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status =\< 2
* Patients must not have received any prior therapy for current DCIS

* Note: Patients who received tamoxifen, raloxifene, aromatase inhibitor or another agent for prevention of breast cancer may be included as long as the patient has discontinued the treatment at least 2 months prior to baseline study biopsy if they chose to have this collected
* Note: Concurrent use of endocrine therapy during the vaccination/preoperative period is not allowed. However, standard adjuvant endocrine therapy with tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitor after completion of vaccination and surgery is allowed
* Any degree of HER2 expression as performed on the diagnostic clinical biopsy defined by immunohistochemistry +1, +2, or +3
* Histologically confirmed un-resected operable ductal carcinoma in situ with no evidence of lymph node involvement or distant metastasis

* Note: suspected microinvasion or definite microinvasion (\< 0.1 mm invasion) on core biopsy is allowed
* Patients will be asked to have an additional research biopsy prior to the first vaccination. This is not mandatory for participation
* Patients must have evidence of at least 0.5 cm of disease extent based on mammogram, ultrasound, or magnetic resonance (MRI) imaging
* Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \>= 1500/mm\^3 (less than or equal to 28 days prior to registration)
* Platelet count \>= 75,000/mm\^3 (less than or equal to 28 days prior to registration)
* Hemoglobin \>= 9.0 g/dL (less than or equal to 28 days prior to registration)
* Creatinine =\< 2 x upper limit of normal (ULN) (less than or equal to 28 days prior to registration)
* Serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) (aspartate aminotransferase \[AST\]) =\< 2 x ULN (less than or equal to 28 days prior to registration)
* Albumin \>= 3 g/dL (less than or equal to 28 days prior to registration)
* Negative serum pregnancy test done =\< 7 days prior to Registration, for women of childbearing potential only
* Willing to employ adequate contraception from the time of Registration through 6 months after the final vaccine cycle

* Note: Adequate contraception methods include birth control pills, barrier device, intrauterine device, or abstinence
* Capable of understanding the investigative nature, potential risks, and benefits of the study
* Capable of providing valid informed consent
* Willing to return to enrolling institution for all study visits (immunizations, blood draws, etc)
* Willing to provide blood samples for correlative research purposes
* Willing to receive a tetanus vaccination if subject has not had one within the past year

Exclusion Criteria

* Any of the following because this study involves an investigational agent whose genotoxic, mutagenic and teratogenic effects on the developing fetus and newborn are unknown:

* Pregnant women
* Nursing women unwilling to stop breast feeding
* Women of child bearing potential who are unwilling to employ adequate contraception from the time of registration through 6 months after the final vaccine cycle
* Co-morbid systemic illnesses or other severe concurrent disease which, in the judgment of the investigator, would make the patient inappropriate for entry into this study or interfere significantly with the proper assessment of safety and toxicity of the prescribed regimens
* Immunocompromised patients including patients known to be human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive or those on chronic steroids, unless physiologic replacement for adrenal or pituitary insufficiency

* Note: Must be off systemic steroids greater than or equal to 90 days prior to Registration. However, topical steroids, inhalants or steroid eye drops are permitted
* Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements
* Uncontrolled acute or chronic medical conditions including, but not limited to the following:

* Active infection requiring antibiotics
* Congestive heart failure with New York Heart Association class III or IV moderate to severe objective evidence of cardiovascular disease
* Myocardial infarction or stroke less than or equal to 6 months prior to registration
* Receiving any other investigational agent
* Other active malignancy at time of registration or less than or equal to the last three years prior to registration. EXCEPTIONS: Non-melanoma skin cancer or carcinoma-in-situ (e.g. of cervix, prostate)

* NOTE: If there is a history of prior malignancy, they must not be receiving other specific treatment (cytotoxics, monoclonal antibodies, small molecule inhibitors) for their cancer
* Known history of active autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment in the ≤ 30 days (i.e., with use of disease modifying agents, corticosteroids, or immunosuppressive drugs) prior to pre-registration

* NOTE: Replacement therapy (e.g., thyroxine, insulin, or physiologic corticosteroid replacement therapy for adrenal or pituitary insufficiency) is not considered a form of systemic treatment. Patients with vitiligo, Graves' disease, or psoriasis not requiring systemic treatment within the past 30 days are not excluded. Patients with Celiac disease controlled with diet modification are not excluded
* Any prior hypersensitivity or adverse reaction to GM-CSF
* History of trastuzumab-related cardiac toxicity requiring interruption or discontinuation of therapy, even if left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) fully recovered
* Baseline LVEF with a value below 55%
* Failure to fully recover from acute, reversible effects of prior chemotherapy regardless of interval since last treatment
* History of myocardial infarction =\< 168 days (6 months) prior to registration, or congestive heart failure requiring use of ongoing maintenance therapy for life threatening ventricular arrhythmias
* History of ipsilateral radiation to the current affected breast with DCIS
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

Mayo Clinic

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Amy C. Degnim

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Amy C. Degnim, M.D.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Mayo Clinic

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Mayo Clinic in Florida

Jacksonville, Florida, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

Rochester, Minnesota, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

United States

Central Contacts

Reach out to these primary contacts for questions about participation or study logistics.

Clinical Trials Referral Office

Role: CONTACT

855-776-0015

Facility Contacts

Find local site contact details for specific facilities participating in the trial.

Clinical Trials Referral Office

Role: primary

855-766-0015

Clinical Trials Referral Office

Role: primary

855-776-0015

Related Links

Access external resources that provide additional context or updates about the study.

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

NCI-2019-07002

Identifier Type: REGISTRY

Identifier Source: secondary_id

16-010561

Identifier Type: OTHER

Identifier Source: secondary_id

MC1713

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

NCT03793829

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: nct_alias

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.