Trial of Ibrutinib Combined With Nivolumab or Cetuximab to Treat Recurrent/Metastatic HNSCC

April 29, 2026 updated by: Kathryn Gold, University of California, San Diego

A Multi-Institutional, Open-Label, Randomized, Phase II Trial Of Ibrutinib In Combination With EGFR Inhibition Or PD-1 Inhibition In Patients With Recurrent/Metastatic Head And Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

This is an open-label, randomized, phase II trial to test the efficacy of Ibrutinib in combination with either Nivolumab or Cetuximab in the treatment of recurrent and/or metastatic head an neck squamous cell carcinoma

Study Overview

Status

Terminated

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Open-label, randomized, controlled, clinical trial. Enrollment will be stratified by HPV status and randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either ibrutinib + cetuximab or ibrutinib + nivolumab

The study will enroll patients who develop R/M HNSCC have not yet been treated with EGFR inhibitors in the recurrent/metastatic setting. All patients being considered for the study must be ≥ 18 years of age and will receive: i) ibrutinib + cetuximab or ii) ibrutinib + nivolumab.

To determine the clinical efficacy of ibrutinib in combination with cetuximab or nivolumab in patients with R/M HNSCC.

Ibrutinib will be supplied by Pharmacyclics as 140 mg hard gelatin capsules for oral (PO) administration.

Cetuximab will be supplied as a clear, colorless liquid formulated for intravenous administration.

Nivolumab will be supplied as a clear, colorless liquid formulated for intravenous administration.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

5

Phase

  • 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 Locations

    • California
      • La Jolla, California, United States, 92093
        • UCSD Moores 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

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

- To be enrolled in the study, each potential subject must satisfy all of the following inclusion criteria.

  1. Histologically or cytologically proven squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck not amenable to curative intent therapy. P16 or HPV status must be known on all patients with oropharyngeal primaries or unknown primaries.
  2. Known p16 and/or HPV status by institutional standard.
  3. Presence of measurable tumor lesions per RECIST criteria v1.1 by investigator review
  4. Life expectancy greater than 12 weeks
  5. Previously archived or newly obtained tumor specimens for correlative analysis
  6. Adequate hematologic function independent of transfusion and growth factor support for at least 7 days prior to screening and randomization, with the exception of pegylated G-CSF (pegfilgrastim) and darbepoetin which require at least 14 days prior to screening and randomization defined as:

    • Absolute neutrophil count >750 cells/mm3 (0.75 x 109/L).
    • Platelet count >50,000 cells/mm3 (50 x 109/L).
    • Hemoglobin >8.0 g/dL.
  7. Adequate hepatic and renal function defined as:

    • Serum aspartate transaminase (AST) or alanine transaminase (ALT) ≤ 3.0 x upper limit of normal (ULN).
    • Estimated Creatinine Clearance ≥30 ml/min (Cockcroft-Gault)
    • Bilirubin ≤1.5 x ULN (unless bilirubin rise is due to Gilbert's syndrome or of non-hepatic origin)
  8. PT/INR <1.5 x ULN and PTT (aPTT) <1.5 x ULN
  9. Men and women ≥ 18 years of age.
  10. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0-1.
  11. Female subjects who are of non-reproductive potential (ie, post-menopausal by history - no menses for ≥1 year; OR history of hysterectomy; OR history of bilateral tubal ligation; OR history of bilateral oophorectomy). Female subjects of childbearing potential must have a negative serum pregnancy test upon study entry.
  12. Male and female subjects who agree to use highly effective methods of birth control (eg, , implants, injectables, combined oral contraceptives, some intrauterine devices [IUDs], complete abstinence, or sterilized partner) and a barrier method (eg., condoms, vaginal ring, sponge, etc) during the period of therapy and for for 30 days after the last dose of study drug for females and 90 days for males.Ability and willingness to provide written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

- To be enrolled in the study, potential subjects must meet NONE of the following exclusion criteria:

  1. Prior therapy with an EGFR inhibitor in the recurrent or metastatic setting
  2. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma histology
  3. Known, clinically active central nervous system metastases (stable metastases permitted)
  4. Chemotherapy ≤ 28 days prior to first administration of study treatment and/or monoclonal antibody (including immunotherapy) ≤16 weeks prior to first administration of study treatment.
  5. Prior exposure to BTK inhibitor, PD-1 inhibitor, or PD-L1 inhibitor
  6. History of other malignancies, except:

    • Malignancy treated with curative intent and with no known active disease present for ≥3 years before the first dose of study drug and felt to be at low risk for recurrence by treating physician.
    • Adequately treated non-melanoma skin cancer or lentigo maligna without evidence of disease.
    • Adequately treated carcinoma in situ without evidence of disease.
  7. Concurrent systemic immunosuppressant therapy (eg, cyclosporine A, tacrolimus, etc., or chronic administration [>14 days] of >10 mg/day of prednisone) within 28 days of the first dose of study drug.
  8. Vaccinated with live, attenuated vaccines within 4 weeks of first dose of study drug.
  9. Recent infection requiring systemic treatment that was completed ≤14 days before the first dose of study drug.
  10. Unresolved toxicities from prior anti-cancer therapy, defined as having not resolved to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Event (CTCAE v4.0), Grade ≤1, or to the levels dictated in the inclusion/exclusion criteria with the exception of alopecia.
  11. Known bleeding disorders (eg, von Willebrand's disease) or hemophilia.
  12. History of stroke or intracranial hemorrhage within 6 months prior to enrollment.
  13. Known history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or active with hepatitis C virus (HCV) or hepatitis B virus (HBV). Subjects who are positive for hepatitis B core antibody, hepatitis B surface antigen, or hepatitis C antibody must have a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) result before enrollment. Those who are PCR positive will be excluded.
  14. Any uncontrolled active systemic infection.
  15. Any history of interstitial lung disease.
  16. Active autoimmune disease or other contraindication to PD-1 inhibition.
  17. Major surgery within 4 weeks of first dose of study drug.
  18. Any life-threatening illness, medical condition, or organ system dysfunction that, in the investigator's opinion, could compromise the subject's safety or put the study outcomes at undue risk.
  19. Currently active, clinically significant cardiovascular disease, such as uncontrolled arrhythmia or Class 3 or 4 congestive heart failure as defined by the New York Heart Association Functional Classification; or a history of myocardial infarction, unstable angina, or acute coronary syndrome within 6 months prior to randomization.
  20. Unable to swallow capsules or malabsorption syndrome, disease significantly affecting gastrointestinal function, or resection of the stomach or small bowel, symptomatic inflammatory bowel disease or ulcerative colitis, or partial or complete bowel obstruction.
  21. Concomitant use of warfarin or other Vitamin K antagonists.
  22. Requires treatment with a strong cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A inhibitor
  23. Currently active, clinically significant hepatic impairment Child-Pugh Class B or C according to the Child-Pugh Classification
  24. Lactating or pregnant.
  25. Unwilling or unable to participate in all required study evaluations and procedures.
  26. Unable to understand the purpose and risks of the study and to provide a signed and dated informed consent form (ICF) and authorization to use protected health information (in accordance with national and local subject privacy regulations).

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
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Arm A: Ibrutinib + Cetuximab
Ibrutinib 560mg PO daily (Imbruvica) PLUS Cetuximab 400mg/m2 x 1 then 250 mg/m2 weekly 28 day cycle
BTK inhibitor combined with PD-1 inhibitor
Other Names:
  • Imbruvica
Cetuximab 400mg/m2 x 1 then 250 mg/m2 weekly 28 day cycle
Other Names:
  • Erbitux
Experimental: Arm B: Ibrutinib + Nivolumab
Ibrutinib 560mg PO daily (Imbruvica) PLUS Nivolumab 3mg/kg biweekly 28 day cycle
BTK inhibitor combined with PD-1 inhibitor
Other Names:
  • Imbruvica
Nivolumab 3mg/kg biweekly 28 day cycle
Other Names:
  • opdivo

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Clinical Efficacy of Combined Therapies Using RECIST v1.1
Time Frame: Up to 22 months
The primary endpoint is the clinical efficacy of each combinatorial treatment regimen as defined by the best overall response rate (proportion of patients with a partial or complete response in tumor burden) using RECIST v1.1. Complete Response (CR), Disappearance of all target lesions; Partial Response (PR), >=30% decrease in the sum of the longest diameter of target lesions; Overall Response (OR) = CR + PR.
Up to 22 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Progression Free Survival
Time Frame: Up to 30 months
Progression-free survival (PFS), defined as the interval from the date of first dose of ibrutinib to disease progression or death from any cause
Up to 30 months
Overall Survival
Time Frame: Up to 30 months
Overall survival (OS), defined as the date of first dose of ibrutinib to the date of death from any cause.
Up to 30 months

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Measurement of Biomarkers
Time Frame: 3 yrs
Assessment of biomarkers in response to protocol based therapy
3 yrs

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Collaborators

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Kathryn Gold, MD, University of California San Diego, Moores Cancer 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 (Actual)

October 17, 2018

Primary Completion (Actual)

August 15, 2020

Study Completion (Actual)

May 13, 2021

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 8, 2018

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 22, 2018

First Posted (Actual)

August 24, 2018

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 22, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 29, 2026

Last Verified

April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 161755

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

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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