Study of the Immune Response of MUC1 (Mucin1) Peptide Vaccine for Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

October 17, 2025 updated by: Olivera Finn

Study of the Immunogenicity of the MUC1 Peptide - Poly-ICLC (Polyinosinic-polycytidylic Acid Stabilized With Polylysine and Carboxymethylcellulose) OR HILTONOL™ Adjuvant Vaccine in Patients With Localized and Locally Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

All subjects will receive the vaccine subcutaneously every 3 weeks x 3 with optional yearly booster vaccines up to and including 5 years post last vaccine for those patients who are confirmed responders to the vaccine . The rationale for using Poly-ICLC as an adjuvant are two ongoing trials at University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) of the MUC1 100mer peptide vaccine - one as a therapeutic vaccine in subjects with metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer and the other in subjects with advanced colonic adenomas at risk for developing colon cancer. The same formulation, MUC1 100mer peptide admixed with Poly-ICLC, is used in both trials. There has been no toxicity observed and the vaccine is highly immunogenic in early disease. In the proposed NSCLC trial the anti-MUC1 immune response will be thoroughly characterized.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
30

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 2
  • Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.
  • Name: Research Coordinator
  • Phone Number: 412-647-8583
  • Email: wardj@upmc.edu

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Pennsylvania
      • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 15232
        • Recruiting
        • UPMC Hillman Cancer Center

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

14 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Subjects must have histologically or cytologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or neuroendocrine carcinoid tumor
  • All subjects must have one of the following stages: Stage IA(T1NO); IB (T2NO), II & IIIA (N2 negative); IIIA (N2+), IIIB (N3+)
  • Patients must have stable disease at the time of enrollment
  • Women and men at least 18 years of age
  • ECOG performance status 0-1(Appendix A)
  • Subjects must be within 4 to 24 weeks of standard of care treatment for their particular stage of disease

  • Subjects must have acceptable organ and marrow function as defined below:

    • Leukocytes > 3,000/µL
    • Absolute Neutrophils > 1,500/µL
    • Hemoglobin > 10 g/dL
    • Platelets > 100,000/µL
    • Total Bilirubin within normal institutional limits
    • Creatinine within normal institutional limits OR
    • Creatinine clearance > 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 for subjects with above normal AST and ALT with alkaline phosphatase within < 1.5 times upper limit of normal
  • The effects of a MUC1vaccine on the developing human fetus at the recommended therapeutic dose are unknown. For this reason, men and women of childbearing potential must be willing to use effective contraception (hormonal barrier method of birth control; abstinence) while on study treatment and for at least 3 months thereafter. Should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while participating in this study, she should inform her treating physician immediately

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Subjects may not be receiving any other investigational agents

    - No history of prior malignancy, except for non-melanoma skin cancer

  • Any positive ANA titer above 1:160, even in an asymptomatic individual. Note:

Weakly positive ANA defined as ANA titers up to 1:160 maximum (≤ 1:160) will be acceptable in an asymptomatic individual who is otherwise eligible for the study.

  • Known Hepatitis B on immunomodulators (i.e. interferon)
  • Known Hepatitis C on immunomodulators (i.e. interferon)
  • No prior vaccine therapy
  • Patients may not be receiving any steroids or other anti-immune therapy at the time of registration.
  • Subjects must not be more than 24 weeks from standard of care treatment for their particular stage of disease
  • Subjects must not have post-obstructive pneumonia or other serious infection at the time of registration or other serious underlying medical condition that would impair the ability of the subjects to receive protocol treatment
  • Prior resection of lung cancer is allowed, if at least five years have elapsed between previous resection and registration
  • 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
  • Pregnant women are excluded from this study. Women of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test
  • Subjects with immune deficiency are not expected to respond to the vaccine. Therefore, known HIV-positive patients are excluded from the study
  • Subjects with a history of known autoimmune disease are excluded from this study

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Stage IB/II/IIIA
Resection and adjuvant chemotherapy followed by 3 cycles of vaccine + PolyICLC.
Biological: Vaccine + PolyICLC
The vaccine will consist of 100 micrograms of MUC1 100mer peptide dissolved in 50 micro-liters of sterile saline, admixed with 500 micrograms of Hiltonol® in 250 microliters volume, for a total injection volume of 300 microliters.
Experimental: Stage IIIA or IIIB
Concomitant chemo-irradiation followed by 3 cycles of vaccine + PolyICLC.
Biological: Vaccine + PolyICLC
The vaccine will consist of 100 micrograms of MUC1 100mer peptide dissolved in 50 micro-liters of sterile saline, admixed with 500 micrograms of Hiltonol® in 250 microliters volume, for a total injection volume of 300 microliters.
Experimental: Stage IA or I/II NSCLC or neuroendocrine carcinoid tumor
Resection or radiotherapy without adjuvant chemotherapy followed by 3 cycles of vaccine + PolyICLC.
Biological: Vaccine + PolyICLC
The vaccine will consist of 100 micrograms of MUC1 100mer peptide dissolved in 50 micro-liters of sterile saline, admixed with 500 micrograms of Hiltonol® in 250 microliters volume, for a total injection volume of 300 microliters.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Immunologic response
Time Frame: 2 years
Immunologic response will be measured by increases in anti MUC1 antibody titers post vaccination at different stages of disease: localized (Stage I, II) or locally advanced (Stage III) non-small cell lung cancer and neuroendocrine carcinoid tumors.
2 years

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Anti-MUC1 immunity
Time Frame: 2 years
To assess spontaneous anti- MUC1 immunity in response to cancer prior to administration of the MUC1 vaccine
2 years
Association between baseline MUC1 immunity and vaccine
Time Frame: 2 years
To assess the association between baseline MUC1 immunity and vaccine - induced increases in anti MUC1 antibodies
2 years
Immunocompetence versus immunosuppression
Time Frame: 2 years
To characterize the change in the balance between immunocompetence (response of T cells to polyclonal stimulation) versus immunosuppression at different stages of disease {check for increased numbers of regulatory T cells (Treg) and Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells (MDSC)}
2 years
MUC1 associated safety
Time Frame: 2 years
To monitor adverse events associated with the study agents
2 years
survival
Time Frame: 2 years
To monitor for progression free survival
2 years
survival
Time Frame: 2 years
To monitor for progression of overall survival
2 years

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Olivera Finn

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Arjun Pennathur, MD, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
November 1, 2012

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
October 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
October 1, 2032

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
October 31, 2012

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
October 31, 2012

First Posted (Estimated)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
November 2, 2012

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
October 21, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
October 17, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
October 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 11-094
  • 902168 (Other Grant/Funding Number: V Foundation)

Drug and device information, study documents

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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