A Phase I/II Clinical Trial of PepCan in Head and Neck Cancer Patients

September 19, 2025 updated by: University of Arkansas

A Phase I/II Clinical Trial of PepCan in Head and Neck Cancer Patients in Remission to Reduce Recurrence Regardless of HPV Status

This study has been designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of giving seven injections of PepCan or placebo over approximately a 24-month period in subjects with head and neck cancers who achieved remission. PepCan may prove to be beneficial in treating many stages of HPV-related malignancies starting from infection to cancer. Safety, efficacy in terms of reduced cancer recurrence, immunological responses and profiles, and gut microbiome changes will be assessed.

Study Overview

Status

Status

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

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.

Detailed Description

This is a Phase I/II study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of an HPV therapeutic vaccine called PepCan (HPV-16 E6 peptides) in adults over a two (2) year period. Each subject will be receiving a total of 7 injections of PepCan (50 µg per peptide dose) or placebo (saline) at a 3:1 ratio in a randomized double-blinded design. Subjects will receive one injection every 3 weeks until they receive 4 injections. Then, subjects will receive one injection every 3 months until they receive a total of 7 injections. Subjects will have 2 more visits approximately 6 months apart after the last injection. Immunological assessment by enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay will be made at 4 time points (Visits 1, 5, 8, and 9), and by fluorescent activated cell sorter analysis will be made at times points at Visits 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. Oral wash samples and stool samples will be collected at the Screening Visit, Visit 5, Visit 7 and Visit 8 for microbiome diversity analysis.

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 (Actual)

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.
17

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.

Study Contact Backup

  • Name: Omar Atiq, MD
  • Phone Number: 8176 501-526-6990
  • Email: OTAtiq@uams.edu

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Arkansas
      • Little Rock, Arkansas, United States, 72205
        • University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

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

18 years to 100 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Able to provide informed consent
  2. Male or female 18 years of age or older
  3. Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck who have completed curative therapy (surgery and/or radiation and/or chemotherapy) therapy within the previous 120 days
  4. Performance status of Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) 0-2
  5. No Evidence of Disease (NED) based on clinical and/or radiographic evaluations

  6. Vital Signs recorded

    1. Blood pressure (≤160/95 mm Hg acceptable)
    2. Heart rate (50-100 beats per min acceptable)
    3. Respiratory rate (≥ 12 ≤25 breaths per min acceptable)
    4. Temperature (≤100°F acceptable)

  7. Blood work done at Screening Visit

    1. White count (≥3x109/L acceptable)
    2. Hemoglobin (≥ 7 g/dL acceptable)
  8. Willing and able to comply with the requirements of the protocol

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Positive urine pregnancy test for women of childbearing potential
  2. Being pregnant or attempting to be pregnant within the period of study participation
  3. Women who are breast feeding or plan to breast feed within the period of study participation
  4. Patients who are allergic to Candin® or yeast
  5. History of severe asthma requiring emergency room visit or hospitalization within the past 5 years
  6. Patients who have previously received PepCan
  7. History of recurrence of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck
  8. If in the opinion of the Principal Investigator or other Investigators, it is not in the best interest of the patient to enter or continue in 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: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

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: PepCan
Four injections (one every 3 weeks) of PepCan, then three injections (one every 3 months) of PepCan for a total of 7 injections.
Biological: PepCan
50 μg peptide + 0.3mL Candin® per dose administered intradermally in the extremities
Other Names:
  • HPV 16 E6 peptides combined with Candin®
  • PepCan Vaccine Regime
Placebo Comparator: Placebo
Four injections (one every 3 weeks) of placebo, then three injections (one every 3 months) of placebo for a total of 7 injections.
Biological: Placebo
0.9% Saline solution per dose administered intradermally in the extremities
Other Names:
  • Saline
  • Placebo Vaccine Regimen

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
Adverse Events - Evaluate Safety of a 7-injection Regimen of PepCan.
Time Frame: 2 years
To evaluate the safety of a 7-injection regimen of PepCan, adverse events will be captured and assessed per NCI CTCAE Version 5.0 whether they are treatment-related or not by a physician.
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
Cancer Recurrence Rate - Efficacy of a 7-injection Regimen of PepCan
Time Frame: Study completion, approximately 24 months after enrollment
To evaluate the efficacy, cancer recurrence rates will be compared between the PepCan and placebo arms. Patients with a "non-recurrence" status are defined as responders. Patients with a "recurrence" status are defined as non-responders.
Study completion, approximately 24 months after enrollment
Efficacy Analysis (Intention to Treat) - PepCan
Time Frame: Study completion, approximately 24 months after enrollment
Patients with a "non-recurrence" status are defined as responders. Patients with a "recurrence" status are defined as non-responders. The Intention-to-Treat outcome is based on the worst-case scenario and considers those who withdrew as non-responders. Patients who screen-failed or were considered ineligible were excluded from the ITT analysis.
Study completion, approximately 24 months after enrollment
Efficacy Analysis (Intention to Treat) - Placebo
Time Frame: Study completion, approximately 24 months after enrollment
Patients with a "non-recurrence" status are defined as responders. Patients with a "recurrence" status are defined as non-responders. The Intention-to-Treat outcome is based on the worst-case scenario and considers those who withdrew as non-responders. Patients who screen-failed or were considered ineligible were excluded from the ITT analysis.
Study completion, approximately 24 months after enrollment
Efficacy Analysis (Per Protocol) - PepCan
Time Frame: Study completion, approximately 24 months after enrollment
The Per Protocol outcome includes subjects who completed the study either by completing Visit 9 or having had recurrences. Patients who screen-failed, withdrew, or were considered ineligible (after randomization) are excluded from the PP analysis.
Study completion, approximately 24 months after enrollment
Efficacy Analysis (Per Protocol) - Placebo
Time Frame: Study completion, approximately 24 months after enrollment
The Per Protocol outcome includes subjects who completed the study either by completing Visit 9 or having had recurrences. Patients who screen-failed, withdrew, or were considered ineligible (after randomization) are excluded from the PP analysis.
Study completion, approximately 24 months after enrollment

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.
University of Arkansas

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: Omar T Atiq, MD, University of Arkansas

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.
November 13, 2019

Primary Completion (Actual)

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.
February 3, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

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.
February 3, 2025

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).
January 23, 2019

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.
January 28, 2019

First Posted (Actual)

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.
January 29, 2019

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 8, 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.
September 19, 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.
September 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

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.
  • 217672

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

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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