Beta Glucan's Effect on Pembrolizumab Immunologic Response in Stage III-IV Melanoma

October 28, 2025 updated by: Kelly McMasters
The purpose of this study is to determine how beta-glucan affects the immune system in subjects with melanoma.

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.

Detailed Description

This is a clinical pilot study using oral beta-glucan on patients with advanced stage III-IV melanoma without evidence of disease receiving adjuvant Pembrolizumab. The aim is to see whether beta-glucan treatment in combination with Pembrolizumab may provide augmented immunologic phenotypes such as decreased peripheral MDSCs, enhanced T effector cell function, or enhanced cytokine production in the peripheral blood or plasm of enrolled subjects. Secondary outcome measures will include clinical endpoints such as recurrence, progression free survival and overall survival.

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.
  • Not Applicable

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

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:

  • Any patients with suspected (clinical) or definitive (tissue) diagnosis of Stage III-IV melanoma starting or continuing adjuvant Pembrolizumab without active evidence of disease (NED).
  • Must be treatment naïve or have had treatment no less than 6 months prior to enrollment
  • 18 years or older
  • Must be able to take pills
  • ECOG performance status of 0-3
  • Ability to understand and willingness to sign a written informed consent
  • Members of all racial and ethnic groups are eligible for this study

Exclusion Criteria:

  • History of hypersensitivity reactions attributed to beta-glucan
  • Patients receiving continuous or other ongoing immunosuppressive therapy
  • Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, autoimmune diseases, 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
  • Any patients who have serious autoimmune toxicity during the study period, or those who have disease recurrence during the 6-week study period should be excluded and analyzed separately
  • Patients with mucosal melanoma
  • Patients with concurrent malignancy or recent history thereof

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: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group 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: Treatment

All subjects will undergo 21 days of Pembrolizumab followed by 21 days of beta-glucan.

Pembrolizumab: 200 mg/100mL IV in three week intervals

Beta-glucan: 500mg (1 capsule) by mouth twice a day for 21 days
Dietary supplement: Beta-Glucan
500mg (1 capsule) by mouth twice a day for 21 days.

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
Changes in percent of lymphocyte cell surface expression markers
Time Frame: Blood for analysis will be drawn at baseline (Day 0), 3 weeks post pembrolizumab treatment, and 3 weeks post pembrolizumab plus oral beta-glucan treatment.
The investigators will quantify percent of lymphocyte cell surface e (i.e., CD45, CD3, CD11b, etc.) from each sample collected by mass cytometry *CyTOF) or flow cytometry
Blood for analysis will be drawn at baseline (Day 0), 3 weeks post pembrolizumab treatment, and 3 weeks post pembrolizumab plus oral beta-glucan treatment.
Changes in absolute number of lymphocyte cell surface expression markers
Time Frame: Blood for analysis will be drawn at baseline (Day 0), 3 weeks post pembrolizumab treatment, and 3 weeks post pembrolizumab plus oral beta-glucan
The investigators will quantify absolute number of lymphocyte cell surface (i.e., CD45, CD3, CD11b, etc.) from each sample collected by mass cytometry (CyTOF) or flow cytometry
Blood for analysis will be drawn at baseline (Day 0), 3 weeks post pembrolizumab treatment, and 3 weeks post pembrolizumab plus oral beta-glucan
Changes in the mean fluorescent intensity of lymphocyte cell surface expression markers
Time Frame: Blood for analysis will be drawn at baseline (Day 0), 3 weeks post pembrolizumab treatment, and 3 weeks post pembrolizumab plus oral beta-glucan
The investigators will quantify mean fluorescent intensity of lymphocyte cell surface (i.e., CD45, CD3, CD11b, etc.) from each sample collected by mass cytometry *CyTOF) or flow cytometry
Blood for analysis will be drawn at baseline (Day 0), 3 weeks post pembrolizumab treatment, and 3 weeks post pembrolizumab plus oral beta-glucan
Changes in percent of intracellular cytokine expression markers
Time Frame: Blood for analysis will be drawn at baseline (Day 0), 3 weeks post pembrolizumab treatment, and 3 weeks post pembrolizumab plus oral beta-glucan
The investigators will quantify percent of intracellular cytokine expression (TNFa, IFNg, etc.) from each sample collected by mass cytometry (CyTOF) or flow cytometry
Blood for analysis will be drawn at baseline (Day 0), 3 weeks post pembrolizumab treatment, and 3 weeks post pembrolizumab plus oral beta-glucan
Changes in absolute number of intracellular cytokine expression markers
Time Frame: Blood for analysis will be drawn at baseline (Day 0), 3 weeks post pembrolizumab treatment, and 3 weeks post pembrolizumab plus oral beta-glucan
The investigators will quantify absolute number of intracellular cytokine expression (TNF-a, IFNg, etc.) from each sample collected by mass cytometry (CyTOF) or flow cytometry
Blood for analysis will be drawn at baseline (Day 0), 3 weeks post pembrolizumab treatment, and 3 weeks post pembrolizumab plus oral beta-glucan
Changes in fluorescent intensity of intracellular cytokine expression markers
Time Frame: Blood for analysis will be drawn at baseline (Day 0), 3 weeks post pembrolizumab treatment, and 3 weeks post pembrolizumab plus oral beta-glucan
The investigators will quantify fluorescent intensity of intracellular cytokine expression (TNF-a, IFNg, etc.) from each sample collected by mass cytometry (CyTOF) or flow cytometry
Blood for analysis will be drawn at baseline (Day 0), 3 weeks post pembrolizumab treatment, and 3 weeks post pembrolizumab plus oral beta-glucan

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.
Kelly McMasters

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: Kelly M McMasters, MD, University of Louisville

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 3, 2020

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.
July 31, 2026

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.
January 15, 2027

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).
July 30, 2020

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.
August 11, 2020

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.
August 14, 2020

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 30, 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 28, 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.
  • 20.0614

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

No

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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