Autologous CAR T Cells Targeting GPC3 (RPCAR01) for the Treatment of Advanced or Metastatic GPC3 Expressing Hepatocellular Carcinoma

NCT ID: NCT06968195

Last Updated: 2025-12-24

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

SUSPENDED

Clinical Phase

PHASE1

Total Enrollment

24 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2026-01-30

Study Completion Date

2029-05-30

Brief Summary

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

This phase I trial studies the side effects and best dose of RPCAR01 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells and to see how well it works in treating patients with GPC3 expressing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that may have spread from where it first started to nearby tissue, lymph nodes, or distant parts of the body (advanced) or that has spread from where it first started (primary site) to other places in the body (metastatic). In GPC3 expressing HCC cancerous cell tissue overexpresses, or makes too much of, a protein called "GPC3" on the surface of those cells (while only rarely expressed in healthy tissue). RPCAR01 is a genetically modified T cell (a part of the immune system) product that targets GPC3 and decreases the inhibition of T cells by a protein called transforming growth factor beta (TGFB). The drug is prepared by taking T cells from the blood by a procedure called "leukapheresis." The T cells are then modified to make them target GPC3 and disrupt TGFB which may help the body's immune system identify and kill GPC3 tumor cells. Lymphodepletion chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide and fludarabine involves receiving a short course of chemotherapy to kill T cells before receiving the RPCAR01 CAR T cell infusion. Giving RCAR01 CAR T cells may be safe, tolerable, and/or effective in treating patients with advanced or metastatic GPC3 expressing HCC.

Detailed Description

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

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

I. To assess the safety, toxicity, maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) of autologous genetically modified CAR T cells administered as a single infusion targeting GPC3 in adult patients with advanced or metastatic GPC3 expressing hepatocellular carcinoma.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVE:

I. To assess anti-tumor activity and in vivo persistence of adoptively transferred CAR T cells.

EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES:

I. To assess serial serum cytokine levels and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels following CAR T cell infusions.

II. To identify biomarkers associated with treatment response. III. To investigate the milieu of the tumor microenvironment pre and post exposure to CAR T cell therapy.

IV. To assess circulating tumor-derived deoxyribonucleic acid (Ct DNA) levels pre and post CAR T cell therapy.

V. To assess circulating CAR T cell expansion and persistence.

OUTLINE: This is a dose escalation study of anti-GPC3-CAR autologous T lymphocytes (RPCAR01) CAR T cell.

Patients undergo leukapheresis within 28 days prior to RPCAR01 CAR T cell infusion. Patients then receive cyclophosphamide intravenously (IV) over 2 hours and fludarabine IV over 30 minutes on days -5, -4, and -3 and RPCAR01 CAR T cells IV over 15 minutes on day 1 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo echocardiography (ECHO) or multigated acquisition (MUGA) during screening and blood sample collection and computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) throughout the trial. Patients may also optionally undergo tissue sample collection throughout the trial.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up at days 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, and 28, months 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12, and then as per separate long term follow up study for up to 15 years.

Conditions

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

Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Metastatic Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrent Hepatocellular Carcinoma Refractory Hepatocellular Carcinoma Stage III Hepatocellular Carcinoma AJCC v8 Stage IV Hepatocellular Carcinoma AJCC v8

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 (RPCAR01 CAR T cells)

Patients undergo leukapheresis within 28 days prior to RPCAR01 CAR T cell infusion. Patients then receive cyclophosphamide IV over 2 hours and fludarabine IV over 30 minutes on days -5, -4, and -3 and RPCAR01 CAR T cells IV over 15 minutes on day 1 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo ECHO or MUGA during screening and blood sample collection and CT or MRI throughout the trial. Patients may also optionally undergo tissue sample collection throughout the trial.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Anti-GPC3-CAR Autologous T Lymphocytes

Intervention Type BIOLOGICAL

Given IV

Biospecimen Collection

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Undergo blood and tissue sample collection

Computed Tomography

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Undergo CT

Cyclophosphamide

Intervention Type DRUG

Given IV

Echocardiography Test

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Undergo ECHO

Fludarabine

Intervention Type DRUG

Given IV

Leukapheresis

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Undergo leukapheresis

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Undergo MRI

Multigated Acquisition Scan

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Undergo MUGA

Interventions

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

Anti-GPC3-CAR Autologous T Lymphocytes

Given IV

Intervention Type BIOLOGICAL

Biospecimen Collection

Undergo blood and tissue sample collection

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Computed Tomography

Undergo CT

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Cyclophosphamide

Given IV

Intervention Type DRUG

Echocardiography Test

Undergo ECHO

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Fludarabine

Given IV

Intervention Type DRUG

Leukapheresis

Undergo leukapheresis

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Undergo MRI

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Multigated Acquisition Scan

Undergo MUGA

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Other Intervention Names

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

Anti-GPC3 CAR Autologous T Cells CAR-GPC3 T Cells Glypican-3-specific CAR T Cells GPC3-targeted CAR Autologous T Cells Biological Sample Collection Biospecimen Collected Specimen Collection CAT CAT Scan Computed Axial Tomography Computerized Axial Tomography Computerized axial tomography (procedure) Computerized Tomography Computerized Tomography (CT) scan CT CT Scan tomography (-)-Cyclophosphamide 2H-1,3,2-Oxazaphosphorine, 2-[bis(2-chloroethyl)amino]tetrahydro-, 2-oxide, monohydrate Asta B 518 B 518 B-518 B518 Carloxan Ciclofosfamida Ciclofosfamide Cicloxal Clafen Claphene CP monohydrate CTX CYCLO-cell Cycloblastin Cycloblastine Cyclophospham Cyclophosphamid monohydrate Cyclophosphamide Monohydrate Cyclophosphamidum Cyclophosphan Cyclophosphane Cyclophosphanum Cyclostin Cyclostine Cytophosphan Cytophosphane Cytoxan Fosfaseron Genoxal Genuxal Ledoxina Mitoxan Neosar Revimmune Syklofosfamid WR 138719 WR- 138719 WR-138719 WR138719 EC Echocardiography Fluradosa Leukocyte Adsorptive Apheresis Leukocytopheresis Therapeutic Leukopheresis White Blood Cell Reduction Apheresis Magnetic Resonance Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Magnetic resonance imaging (procedure) Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scan Medical Imaging, Magnetic Resonance / Nuclear Magnetic Resonance MR MR Imaging MRI MRI Scan MRIs NMR Imaging NMRI Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging sMRI Structural MRI Blood Pool Scan Equilibrium Radionuclide Angiography Gated Blood Pool Imaging Gated Heart Pool Scan MUGA MUGA Scan Multi-Gated Acquisition Scan Radionuclide Ventriculogram Scan Radionuclide Ventriculography RNV Scan RNVG SYMA Scanning Synchronized Multigated Acquisition Scanning

Eligibility Criteria

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

Inclusion Criteria

* ≥ 18 years of age
* Pathologically confirmed diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Mixed hepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma histology will be excluded in this trial
* Must have received at least 2 recommended standard of care lines of therapy for HCC which include checkpoint inhibition and a tyrosine kinase inhibitor such as lenvatinib
* Tissue confirmation of expression of GPC3 with immunohistochemistry (IHC) on archival tissue. ≥ 50% of tumor cells should be IHC 1+ or greater GPC3 intensity
* Presence of measurable disease, with Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1 at the time of intervention consent. Previously treated lesions are acceptable as long as there is a new confirmed measurable component
* Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status score of 0-1
* Life expectancy of at least 3 months
* Patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection with active disease who meet the criteria for anti HBV therapy should be on a suppressive antiviral therapy prior to initiation of therapy
* Patients with a history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection should have completed curative antiviral treatment and have a HCV viral load below the limit of quantification
* Patients with HIV should have CD4+ T-cell (CD4+) counts ≥ 350 cells/µL within 3 months of study enrollment
* Leukocytes ≥ 3,000/mcL
* Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mcL
* Platelets ≥ 65,000/mcL
* Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x 1.3 mg/dL
* Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase \[SGOT\])/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase \[SGPT\]) ≤ 3 × institutional upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Creatinine clearance ≥ 50 mL/min (Cockroft-Gault)
* Participants of child-bearing potential must agree to use adequate contraceptive methods (e.g., hormonal or barrier method of birth control; abstinence) prior to study entry. Should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while she or her partner is participating in this study, she should inform her treating physician immediately
* Participant must understand the investigational nature of this study and sign an Independent Ethics Committee/Institutional Review Board approved written informed consent form prior to receiving any study related procedure

Exclusion Criteria

* Patients with underlying Child-Pugh B or C liver cirrhosis (score of 7 or over)
* Patient does not have archival tumor tissue available for GPC3 testing
* Patients with a recent history of ongoing active bleeding
* Patients who have a current medical history of alcohol abuse
* Patient with a history of grade 2 or greater immune mediated toxicities of a major organ or a history of autoimmune hepatitis, pneumonitis or myocarditis
* Participants who have had chemotherapy or radiotherapy within 2 weeks (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin C) prior to entering the study or those who have not recovered from adverse events due to agents administered more than 4 weeks earlier. A washout period of 2 weeks is required prior to apheresis
* Participants with known leptomeningeal disease or brain metastases should be excluded from this clinical trial because of their poor prognosis and because they often develop progressive neurologic dysfunction that would confound the evaluation of neurologic and other adverse events
* Concomitant systemic glucocorticoid use at a dose equivalent to \> 10 mg daily prednisone at the time of apheresis and/or within 4 weeks of CAR T infusion
* Clinical or radiographic evidence of bowel obstruction or need for parenteral hydration and/or nutrition
* Active autoimmune disease
* Prior history of seizure disorder
* Pregnancy or breast-feeding female participants
* 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
* Unwilling or unable to follow protocol requirements
* Any condition which in the investigator's opinion deems the participant an unsuitable candidate to receive study drug
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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

Roswell Park Cancer Institute

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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

Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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

Anuradha Krishnamurthy

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Roswell Park Cancer Institute

Locations

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

Roswell Park Cancer Institute

Buffalo, New York, United States

Site Status

Countries

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

United States

Other Identifiers

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

NCI-2025-03008

Identifier Type: REGISTRY

Identifier Source: secondary_id

I-3831524

Identifier Type: OTHER

Identifier Source: secondary_id

I-3831524

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id