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Testing Whether Cemiplimab (REGN2810) Plus CDX-1140 Given Prior to Surgery Are Better Than Cemiplimab (REGN2810) Alone in Patients With Stage III-IV Head and Neck Cancer

  • PhasePhase 2
  • StatusRecruiting
  • Planned enrollment44 people
  • Recruiting US sites12
  • SponsorNational Cancer Institute (NCI)
  • RegistryNCT06980038

Recruitment re-checked on ClinicalTrials.gov Oct 30, 2026. Public record; not medical advice.

Testing Whether Cemiplimab (REGN2810) Plus CDX-1140 Given Prior to Surgery Are Better Than Cemiplimab (REGN2810) Alone in Patients With Stage III-IV Head and Neck Cancer: a one-minute explainerNCT069800381 min

Eligibility

Who can join

The film gives the main points. The full list below is copied from the registry; the study team makes the final decision.

  • Age18 Years to no maximum
  • SexAll
  • Healthy volunteersNo

You may be able to join if

  • Patients must have histologically or cytologically confirmed American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage III-IV T0-4, N0-3b, M0 mucosal head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) (oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, hypopharynx, and nasal cavity) that is appropriate for surgical resection. Both previously untreated (primary) and recurrent (salvage) settings will be eligible. Tumors must be accessible to biopsy in clinic (patients with laryngeal, hypopharyngeal, nasal cavity and base of tongue tumors will have endoscopic biopsies)
  • For patients with oropharyngeal cancer, only p16-negative (non-human papillomavirus [HPV] related) patients will be eligible
  • Patients must have measurable disease, defined as at least one lesion that can be accurately measured in at least one dimension (longest diameter to be recorded for non-nodal lesions and short axis for nodal lesions) as ≥ 20 mm (≥ 2 cm) by chest x-ray or as ≥ 10 mm (≥ 1 cm) with CT scan, MRI, or calipers by clinical exam
  • Age ≥ 18 years. Because no dosing or adverse event (AE) data are currently available on the use of cemiplimab (REGN2810) alone or in combination with CDX-1140 in patients < 18 years of age, children are excluded from this study
  • Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status ≤ 2 (Karnofsky ≥ 60%)
  • Hemoglobin (Hb) ≥ 7 g/dL (transfusion allowed to bring Hb to this level)
  • Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,000/mcL
  • Platelets ≥ 100,000/mcL
  • Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 × institutional upper limit of normal (ULN)
  • Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase [SGOT]) /alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase [SGPT]) ≤ 3 × institutional ULN
  • Creatinine ≤ 1.5 × institutional ULN OR glomerular filtration rate (GFR) ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m^2
  • Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients on effective anti-retroviral therapy with undetectable viral load within 6 months are eligible for this trial
  • For patients with evidence of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, the HBV viral load must be undetectable on suppressive therapy, if indicated
  • Patients with a history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection must have been treated and cured. For patients with HCV infection who are currently on treatment, they are eligible if they have an undetectable HCV viral load
  • Patients with known history or current symptoms of cardiac disease, or history of treatment with cardiotoxic agents, should have a clinical risk assessment of cardiac function using the New York Heart Association Functional Classification. To be eligible for this trial, patients should be class II or better
  • Based on its mechanism of action, cemiplimab (REGN2810) can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Animal studies have demonstrated that inhibition of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway can lead to increased risk of immune-mediated rejection of the developing fetus resulting in fetal death. Women of childbearing potential and men should use effective contraception during treatment with cemiplimab (REGN2810) and for 4 months after the last dose. The reproductive and developmental toxicity of CDX-1140 has not been evaluated. Women of childbearing potential and their partners who receive CDX-1140 must therefore take adequate contraceptive measures
  • Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document. Legally authorized representatives may sign and give informed consent on behalf of study participants

You cannot join if

  • Active or documented history of autoimmune disease within 2 years before screening
  • Prior or planned allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT)
  • History of organ transplant that requires use of immunosuppressive medications
  • Current or prior use of immunosuppressive medication within 14 days prior to the start of study drug administration. Immunosuppressants may interfere with study drug efficacy
  • Any previous treatment with a PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitor, including cemiplimab (REGN2810). It is unclear how prior exposure to immunotherapy would impact future use of checkpoint inhibitors
  • Concurrent use of prednisone (10 mg or more)
  • Patients with new pulmonary infiltrates indicative of pneumonitis, history of (non-infectious) pneumonitis/interstitial lung disease, or current pneumonitis/interstitial lung disease, including grade 1 pneumonitis (i.e., asymptomatic, clinical or diagnostic observation only, intervention not indicated)
  • Another active malignancy for which the natural history or treatment has potential to interfere with the safety or efficacy assessment of the investigational regimen on this trial
  • Patients who have not recovered from AE due to prior anti-cancer therapy (i.e., have residual toxicities > grade 1) with the exception of alopecia
  • Patients who are receiving any other investigational agents, such as concurrent chemotherapy, biologic, immunologic or hormonal therapy for cancer treatment
  • History of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to CDX-1140 or cemiplimab (REGN2810)
  • Patients with uncontrolled intercurrent illness or any other significant condition(s) that would make participation in this protocol unreasonably hazardous
  • Pregnant women are excluded from this study because of the increased risk of immune-mediated rejection of the developing fetus with cemiplimab (REGN2810). Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in breastfed children, women should not breastfeed during treatment with cemiplimab (REGN2810) and for at least 4 months after the last dose. These risks may also apply to CDX-1140

The treatment

How it is intended to work

This is how the treatment is meant to work. Whether it helps, and how safe it is, is what this trial is testing.

anti-CD40 agonist monoclonal antibody CDX-1140. A fully human immunoglobulin G2 (IgG2) agonistic monoclonal antibody targeting the B-cell surface antigen CD40, with potential immunostimulatory and antineoplastic activities. Upon administration, CDX-1140 targets and binds to CD40 on a variety of immune cell types. This induces CD40-dependent signaling pathways, triggers the proliferation and activation of antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and activates T cells. This results in an enhanced cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL)-mediated immune response against tumor cells. CD40, a cell surface receptor and member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily (TNFRSF), is expressed on various immune cells, such as dendritic cells (DCs), macrophages and B cells, and plays a key role in the activation of the immune system. NCI Drug Dictionary

Treatments listed in the registry

  • Anti-CD40 Agonist Monoclonal Antibody CDX-1140 (Biological): Given IV
  • Biopsy Procedure (Procedure): Undergo tumor biopsy
  • Biospecimen Collection (Procedure): Undergo blood sample collection
  • Cemiplimab (Biological): Given IV
  • Computed Tomography (Procedure): Undergo CT scan
  • Positron Emission Tomography (Procedure): Undergo PET scan
  • Tumor Resection (Procedure): Undergo resection surgery

The study

Treatment groups

Randomized · Parallel · masking: None

Arm I (Cemiplimab) (Active Comparator)

Patients receive cemiplimab IV over 30 minutes on day 1. Patients then undergo standard of care surgical resection on day 29-36 and receive standard of care adjuvant therapy. Treatment is given in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients undergo CT scan, PET during screening and tumor biopsy and blood sample collection throughout the study.

Arm II (CDX-1140 and cemiplimab) (Experimental)

Patients receive CDX-1140 IV over 90 minutes on day 1 and cemiplimab IV over 30 minutes on day 4. Patients then undergo standard of care surgical resection on day 29-36 and receive standard of care adjuvant therapy. Treatment is given in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients undergo CT scan, PET during screening and tumor biopsy and blood sample collection throughout the study.

What it involves

Procedures

As the registry describes them. Requirements to join, such as a tissue sample, are in the eligibility list above even when on-study procedures are optional. Ask the study team which steps apply to you.

  • biopsy: Part of the study plan
  • blood samples: Part of the study plan
  • CT scans: Part of the study plan
  • PET scans: Part of the study plan
  • surgery: Part of the study plan

Goals

What the study measures

Main goals

  • Incidence of adverse events (AE) (From the time of their first treatment with CDX-1140 and/or cemiplimab (REGN2810), up to 2 years after surgical resection)
  • Major pathologic response (Up to 2 years after surgical resection)

Other goals

  • Acute incidence of adverse events
  • Late incidence of adverse events
  • Quantitative pathologic response
  • Tumor infiltrating immune populations
  • Serum cytokines levels
  • Circulating tumor deoxyribonucleic acid (ctDNA) levels
  • Gene expression levels
  • Gene set enrichment
  • Pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters

Planned enrollment: 44 (estimated).

Where

Recruiting US sites

  • UCI Health - Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and Ambulatory Care, Irvine, California
  • Los Angeles General Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
  • USC / Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, California
  • UC Irvine Health/Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Orange, California
  • Emory University Hospital Midtown, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Ochsner Medical Center Jefferson, New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, New Jersey
  • University of Cincinnati Cancer Center-UC Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
  • University of Cincinnati Cancer Center-West Chester, West Chester, Ohio
  • Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
  • UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Richmond, Virginia

Site status as of Oct 30, 2026. Check the live record before contacting a site.

Sources

Where this comes from

Registry record reviewed as fetched Oct 30, 2026, last updated by the sponsor Oct 25, 2026. Public record; not medical advice.

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