Pediatric Precision Laboratory Advanced Neuroblastoma Therapy (PEDS-PLAN)

April 24, 2026 updated by: Giselle Sholler

A Study Using Molecular Guided Therapy With Induction Chemotherapy Followed by a Randomized Controlled Trial of Standard Immunotherapy With or Without DFMO Followed by DFMO Maintenance for Subjects With Newly Diagnosed High-Risk Neuroblastoma

A prospective open label, multicenter study to evaluate the feasibility and acute toxicity of using molecularly guided therapy in combination with standard therapy followed by a Randomized Controlled Trial of standard immunotherapy with or without DFMO followed by DFMO maintenance for Subjects with Newly Diagnosed High-Risk Neuroblastoma.

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.
500

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

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.

Study Locations

  • Canada
  • United States
    • Alabama
      • Birmingham, Alabama, United States, 35233
        • Recruiting
        • University of Alabama/Children's of Alabama
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Elizabeth Alva
    • Arkansas
      • Little Rock, Arkansas, United States, 72202
        • Recruiting
        • Arkansas Children's Hospital
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Kevin Bielamowicz
        • Contact:
    • California
      • Oakland, California, United States, 94609
        • Recruiting
        • UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Jennifer Michlitsch
      • San Diego, California, United States, 92123
        • Recruiting
        • Rady Children's Hospital
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • William Roberts
    • Connecticut
      • Hartford, Connecticut, United States, 06106
    • Florida
      • Miami, Florida, United States, 33155
      • Orlando, Florida, United States, 32806
      • Tampa, Florida, United States, 33614
        • Recruiting
        • St. Joseph's Children's Hospital
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Don Eslin
        • Contact:
    • Georgia
      • Augusta, Georgia, United States, 30912
        • Recruiting
        • Augusta University Health
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Coleen McDonough
    • Hawaii
      • Honolulu, Hawaii, United States, 96813
        • Recruiting
        • Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Randal Wada
        • Contact:
    • Idaho
      • Boise, Idaho, United States, 83712
        • Completed
        • St. Lukes
    • Illinois
      • Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60453
        • Completed
        • Advocate Aurora Research Institute
    • Kentucky
      • Louisville, Kentucky, United States, 40202
        • Recruiting
        • Norton Children's Research Institute/Affiliated with University of Louisville School of Medicine
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Michael Ferguson
        • Contact:
    • Michigan
      • Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States, 49503
    • Minnesota
      • Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55404
        • Recruiting
        • Children's Hospital and Clinics of Minnesota
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Jawhar Rawwas
    • Missouri
      • Kansas City, Missouri, United States, 64108
        • Completed
        • Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics
      • St Louis, Missouri, United States, 63104
        • Recruiting
        • Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center
        • Principal Investigator:
          • William Ferguson
        • Contact:
    • New Jersey
      • Hackensack, New Jersey, United States, 07601
        • Completed
        • Hackensack University Medical Center
    • North Carolina
      • Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, 28204
    • Oregon
      • Portland, Oregon, United States, 97227
        • Recruiting
        • Randall Children's Hospital
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Jason Glover
    • Pennsylvania
      • Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States, 17033
    • South Carolina
      • Charleston, South Carolina, United States, 29425
        • Recruiting
        • Medical University of South Carolina
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Jaqueline Kraveka
        • Contact:
    • Texas
      • Austin, Texas, United States, 78723
        • Recruiting
        • Dell Children's Blood and Cancer Center
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Virginia Harrod
      • Dallas, Texas, United States, 75235
        • Recruiting
        • Children's Medical Center
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Tanya Watt
        • Contact:

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

No older than 18 years (Child, Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Part A- CLOSED:

  1. Diagnosis: Subjects must have a diagnosis of neuroblastoma or ganglioneuroblastoma (nodular or intermixed) verified by histology or demonstration of clumps of tumor cells in bone marrow with elevated urinary catecholamine metabolites. Subjects with the following disease stages at diagnosis are eligible, if they meet the other specified criteria:

    a) Subjects with newly diagnosed neuroblastoma with INSS Stage 4 are eligible with the following: i. Age > 18 months (> 547 days) regardless of biologic features or ii. Age 12-18 months (365-547 days) with any of the following 3 unfavorable biologic features (MYCN amplification, unfavorable pathology and/or DNA index = 1) or iii. MYCN amplification (> 4-fold increase in MYCN signals as compared to reference signals), regardless of age or additional biologic features.

    b) Subjects with newly diagnosed neuroblastoma with INSS Stage 3 are eligible with the following: i. MYCN amplification (> 4-fold increase in MYCN signals as compared to reference signals), regardless of age or additional biologic features or ii. Age > 18 months (> 547 days) with unfavorable pathology, regardless of MYCN status.

    c) Subjects with newly diagnosed neuroblastoma with INSS Stage 2A/2B with MYCN amplification (> 4-fold increase in MYCN signals as compared to reference signals), regardless of age or additional biologic features.

  2. Subjects must be age ≤ 21 years at initial diagnosis
  3. Subjects must not have had prior systemic therapy except for localized emergency radiation to sites of life-threatening or function-threatening disease and/or no more than 1 cycle of chemotherapy per a low or intermediate risk neuroblastoma regimen (as per P9641, A3961, ANBL0531, or similar) prior to determination of MYCN amplification status and histology.
  4. Specimens will be obtained only in a non-significant risk manner and not solely for the purpose of investigational testing.

  5. Ability to tolerate PBSC collection: No known contraindication to PBSC collection. Examples of contraindications would include a weight or size less than that determined to be feasible at the collecting institution, or a physical condition that would limit the ability of the child to undergo apheresis catheter placement (if necessary) and/or the apheresis procedure.

    Part A and B both- Part A CLOSED, Part B- OPEN:

  6. Adequate Cardiac Function Defined As:

    1. Shortening fraction of ≥ 27% by echocardiogram, or
    2. Ejection fraction of ≥ 50% by radionuclide evaluation or echocardiogram.

  7. Adequate liver function must be demonstrated, defined as:

    c. Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN) for age AND d. ALT (SGPT) < 10 x upper limit of normal (ULN) for age

  8. Subjects must have adequate renal function defined as a serum creatinine based on age/gender as follows:

    Age Maximum Serum Creatinine (mg/dL) Male Female 1 month to < 6 months 0.4 0.4 6 months to < 1 year 0.5 0.5 1 to < 2 years 0.6 0.6 2 to < 6 year 0.8 0.8 6 to < 10 years 1 1 10 to < 13 years 1.2 1.2 13 to < 16 years 1.5 1.4

    ≥ 16 years 1.7 1.4

  9. A negative serum pregnancy test is required for female participants of child bearing potential (≥13 years of age or after onset of menses)
  10. Both male and female post-pubertal study subjects need to agree to use one of the more effective birth control methods during treatment and for six months after treatment is stopped. These methods include total abstinence (no sex), oral contraceptives ("the pill"), an intrauterine device (IUD), levonorgestrol implants (Norplant), or medroxyprogesterone acetate injections (Depo-provera shots). If one of these cannot be used, contraceptive foam with a condom is recommended.

  11. Informed Consent: All subjects and/or legal guardians must sign informed written consent. Assent, when appropriate, will be obtained according to institutional guidelines.

    Part B- OPEN:

  12. All patients must have a pathologically confirmed diagnosis of neuroblastoma, be age ≤ 21 years at initial diagnosis, and classified as high risk by the criteria used by COG or SIOPEN at the time of diagnosis. Exception: patients who are initially diagnosed as non-high-risk neuroblastoma, but later converted (and/or relapsed) to high risk neuroblastoma are also eligible.
  13. Previous Therapy- subjects must fit into one of the strata categories listed in section 10.5 to be eligible to enroll on Part B of this study.

  14. Pre-enrollment tumor survey:

    Prior to enrollment on Part B, a determination of mandatory disease staging must be performed. Tumor imaging studies including CT or MRI, MIBG or PET, and VMA/HVA (PET scan should be done for patients with prior disease that was MIBG non-avid). Bone marrow aspirates and biopsies are required.

    This disease assessment is required for eligibility and should be done preferably within 2 weeks, but must be done within a maximum of 4 weeks before first dose of study drug.

  15. Timing- Enrollment to occur prior to Day + 120 post-transplant, preferably when the subject is within 28 days after completing local radiation therapy (if given).

Exclusion Criteria (Part A and B)

  1. Subjects who are 12-18 months of age with INSS Stage 4 and all stage 3 subjects with favorable biologic features (ie, nonamplified MYCN, favorable pathology, and DNA index > 1) are not eligible.
  2. Lactating females are not eligible unless they have agreed not to breastfeed their infants.
  3. Subjects receiving any investigational drug concurrently.
  4. Subjects with any other medical condition, including but not limited to malabsorption syndromes, mental illness or substance abuse, deemed by the Investigator to be likely to interfere with the interpretation of the results or which would interfere with a subject's ability to sign or the legal guardian's ability to sign the informed consent, and subject's ability to cooperate and participate in the 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: 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.
Active Comparator: Standard Immunotherapy without DFMO
One of the following drugs will be chosen for each subject based on molecular guided results: ceritinib, dasatinib, sorafenib or vorinostat. This will be followed standard immunotherapy with Dinutuximab/GM-CSF/IL-2 and isotretinoin. At the end of immunotherapy, DFMO will be given to all subjects BID for 730 days.
Drug: Ceritinib
One of the following drugs will be chosen for each subject based on molecular guided results: Ceritinib, dasatinib, sorafenib or vorinostat. This will be followed by consolidation, immunotherapy +/- DFMO, and then all subjects will receive DFMO for 2 years as maintenance.
Other Names:
  • Zykadia
Drug: dasatinib
One of the following drugs will be chosen for each subject based on molecular guided results: Ceritinib, dasatinib, sorafenib or vorinostat. This will be followed by consolidation, immunotherapy +/- DFMO, and then all subjects will receive DFMO for 2 years as maintenance.
Other Names:
  • Sprycel
Drug: sorafenib
One of the following drugs will be chosen for each subject based on molecular guided results: Ceritinib, dasatinib, sorafenib or vorinostat. This will be followed by consolidation, immunotherapy +/- DFMO, and then all subjects will receive DFMO for 2 years as maintenance.
Other Names:
  • Nexavar
Drug: vorinostat
One of the following drugs will be chosen for each subject based on molecular guided results: Ceritinib, dasatinib, sorafenib or vorinostat. This will be followed by consolidation, immunotherapy +/- DFMO, and then all subjects will receive DFMO for 2 years as maintenance.
Other Names:
  • ZOLINZA
Active Comparator: Standard Immunotherapy with DFMO
One of the following drugs will be chosen for each subject based on molecular guided results: ceritinib, dasatinib, sorafenib or vorinostat. This will be followed standard immunotherapy with Dinutuximab/GM-CSF/IL-2 and isotretinoin PLUS 1000mg/m2 BID of DFMO. At the end of immunotherapy, all subjects will go on to receive DFMO BID for 730 days.
Drug: Ceritinib
One of the following drugs will be chosen for each subject based on molecular guided results: Ceritinib, dasatinib, sorafenib or vorinostat. This will be followed by consolidation, immunotherapy +/- DFMO, and then all subjects will receive DFMO for 2 years as maintenance.
Other Names:
  • Zykadia
Drug: dasatinib
One of the following drugs will be chosen for each subject based on molecular guided results: Ceritinib, dasatinib, sorafenib or vorinostat. This will be followed by consolidation, immunotherapy +/- DFMO, and then all subjects will receive DFMO for 2 years as maintenance.
Other Names:
  • Sprycel
Drug: sorafenib
One of the following drugs will be chosen for each subject based on molecular guided results: Ceritinib, dasatinib, sorafenib or vorinostat. This will be followed by consolidation, immunotherapy +/- DFMO, and then all subjects will receive DFMO for 2 years as maintenance.
Other Names:
  • Nexavar
Drug: vorinostat
One of the following drugs will be chosen for each subject based on molecular guided results: Ceritinib, dasatinib, sorafenib or vorinostat. This will be followed by consolidation, immunotherapy +/- DFMO, and then all subjects will receive DFMO for 2 years as maintenance.
Other Names:
  • ZOLINZA
Drug: DFMO
DFMO will be given to Arm B during immunotherapy and then for 2 years as maintenance to all subjects completing immunotherapy.
Other Names:
  • Eflornithine, α-difluoromethylornithine

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
Number of days from start of therapy to date of first relapse
Time Frame: Up to 8 years

To measure the response of treatments chosen based on:

• Event free survival (EFS)
Up to 8 years
Number of subjects that have a targeted agent chosen for treatment.
Time Frame: 2 years

At completion of the induction therapy, the investigators will determine feasibility of adding molecularly guided targeted therapy to standard of care chemotherapy. Feasibility will be defined as:

  1. Subject has a targeted agent identified
  2. Receives 75% of dosing of medications while on study protocol during cycles 3-6
  3. Subject is not removed from study due to targeted agent drug related toxicity.
2 years
Number of subjects that receive 75% of dosing of medications while on study protocol during cycles 3-6.
Time Frame: 2 years

At completion of the induction therapy, the investigators will determine feasibility of adding molecularly guided targeted therapy to standard of care chemotherapy. Feasibility will be defined as:

  1. Subject has a targeted agent identified
  2. Receives 75% of dosing of medications while on study protocol during cycles 3-6
  3. Subject is not removed from study due to targeted agent drug related toxicity.
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
Number of days that subjects remain alive
Time Frame: 3 years plus 5 years follow up

To measure the response of treatments chosen based on:

  • Overall response rate (ORR) after induction therapy
  • Overall survival (OS)
3 years plus 5 years follow up
Overall Response Rate (ORR) of Participants by the presence of radiologically assessable disease by cross-sectional CT or MRI imaging and/or by MIBG or PET scans.
Time Frame: Up to 8 years

To measure the response of treatments chosen based on:

• Overall response rate (ORR) after induction therapy
Up to 8 years
Number of participants with treatment-related adverse events as assessed by CTCAE v4.0
Time Frame: 3 years
To compare toxicity effects of difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) in combination with Dinutuximab/GM-CSF/IL-2 and isotretinoin versus Dinutuximab/GM-CSF/IL-2 and isotretinoin alone.
3 years
Amount of pain medicine required by Arm A versus Arm B
Time Frame: 3 years
To compare level of pain medicine needed during immunotherapy in patients receiving difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) in combination with Dinutuximab/GM-CSF/IL-2 and Isotretinoin versus those receiving Dinutuximab/GM-CSF/IL-2 and isotretinoin alone.
3 years
Number of subjects required to go off therapy due to treatment-related adverse events as assessed by CTCAE v4.0.
Time Frame: 1 year

At completion of the induction therapy, the investigators will determine feasibility of adding molecularly guided targeted therapy to standard of care chemotherapy. Feasibility will be defined as:

  1. Subject has a targeted agent identified
  2. Receives 75% of dosing of medications while on study protocol during cycles 3-6
  3. Subject is not removed from study due to targeted agent drug related toxicity.
1 year

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.
Giselle Sholler

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Beat NB Cancer Foundation
K C Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Team Parker for Life
Dell, Inc.

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.
  • Study Chair: Giselle Sholler, MD, Beat Childhood Cancer

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Helpful Links

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 (Actual)

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.
September 1, 2015

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.
September 1, 2030

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.
September 1, 2035

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).
September 22, 2015

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.
September 23, 2015

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.
September 24, 2015

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

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.
April 28, 2026

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.
April 24, 2026

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.
April 1, 2026

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.
  • NMTRC012

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.

Clinical Trials on Neuroblastoma

Clinical Trials on Ceritinib

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings