Dinutuximab-beta and Chemotherapy in Newly Diagnosed High-Risk Neuroblastoma

Pilot Study of Combining of Dinutuximab-β With Induction Chemotherapy in Newly Diagnosed High Risk Neuroblastoma

This clinical trial investigates the safety, side effects, and effectiveness of combining an immunotherapy drug called dinutuximab-beta with standard induction chemotherapy for patients newly diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma. Dinutuximab-beta is an antibody designed to target specific molecules on the surface of neuroblastoma cells.

In this pilot study, enrolled patients will receive dinutuximab-beta as a continuous intravenous infusion alongside a standard 6-cycle induction chemotherapy regimen. The primary goals of this study are to monitor how well patients tolerate the new combination treatment closely and to determine how effectively tumors shrink before patients proceed to the next phase of their standard consolidation therapy.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: High Risk Neuroblastoma
• Intervention / Treatment: Biological: Dinutuximab Beta; Drug: Induction chemotherapy

Detailed Description

This is a prospective, single-arm, pilot study aiming to evaluate the tolerability, safety, and clinical efficacy of incorporating GD2-directed immunotherapy (Dinutuximab-beta) into the frontline induction chemotherapy for high-risk neuroblastoma.

Patients with newly diagnosed high-risk neuroblastoma will receive Dinutuximab-beta administered as a 10-day continuous intravenous infusion (10 mg/m²/day) during Cycles 2 to 6 of the standard 6-cycle induction chemotherapy. The chemotherapy backbone includes cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin/epirubicin, etoposide, and cisplatin.

The study is designed with a safety monitoring phase for the initial cohort to evaluate unacceptable toxicities closely. Following the completion of the 6-cycle induction therapy, patients will be assessed for clinical response based on the revised International Neuroblastoma Response Criteria (INRC) before proceeding to standard consolidation therapy, which includes high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell rescue, radiotherapy, and maintenance therapy. Exploratory evaluations will also be conducted to monitor minimal residual disease (MRD), assess event-free and overall survival, and explore the correlation between immune biomarkers and clinical outcomes.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 30
• Phase: Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Shih-Hsiang Chen, M.D.; Phone Number: +886-3-328-1200; Email: samechen@cgmh.org.tw
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Meng-Yao Lu, M.D.; Phone Number: +886-2-2312-3456

Study Locations

• Taiwan
  • Taiwan
    • Taipei, Taiwan, Taiwan, 110
      • National Taiwan University Hospital
      • Contact: Meng Yao Lu, MD; Phone Number: 886-2-2312-3456; Email: lmy1079@gmail.com
      • Principal Investigator: Meng-Yao Lu, MD
    • Taoyuan, Taiwan, Taiwan, 333
      • Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Linkou Branch
      • Contact: Shih-Hsiang Chen, MD; Phone Number: 886-3-328-1200; Email: samechen@cgmh.org.tw
      • Principal Investigator: Shih-Hsiang Chen, MD

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Must be 1 to 30 years of age at the time of initial diagnosis.
2. Must have histological verification of neuroblastoma or ganglioneuroblastoma, OR demonstration of neuroblastoma cells in the bone marrow with elevated urinary VMA at the time of initial diagnosis.

3. Must have newly diagnosed high-risk neuroblastoma according to the revised COG NBL risk classifier (version 2), defined as meeting at least ONE of the following:

   1. INRG Stage M: MYCN amplification (> 4-fold increase), OR age 12 to < 18 months without MYCN amplification but with unfavorable histology/DI = 1/SCA, OR age > 18 months regardless of biologic features.
   2. INRG Stage MS: MYCN amplification, OR age 12 to < 18 months without MYCN amplification but with unfavorable histology/DI = 1/SCA.
   3. INRG Stage L2: MYCN amplification, OR age 18 months to < 5 years without MYCN amplification but with unfavorable histology, OR age ≥ 5 years without MYCN amplification but with unfavorable histology (undifferentiated or poorly differentiated tumor).
   4. INRG Stage L1: Tumor with incomplete resection and MYCN amplification.
   5. Patients > 18 months of age initially diagnosed with INRG Stage L1, L2, or MS who are subsequently upgraded to high-risk disease.
4. Must have had no prior systemic therapy, or have only completed the first cycle of induction chemotherapy under the TPOG N2020-HR protocol.

5. Must have measurable disease, defined as at least ONE of the following (Note: Patients with elevated VMA only are NOT eligible):

   1. Measurable tumor on MRI or CT scan within 3 weeks prior to study entry (≥ 10 mm in at least one dimension) that is MIBG avid or demonstrates increased FDG/FDOPA uptake on PET scan.
   2. MIBG or FDG/FDOPA PET scan within 2 weeks prior to study entry with positive uptake at a minimum of one site.
6. ECOG Performance Status of 0, 1, or 2.

7. Adequate organ function, including:

   1. Renal: Creatinine clearance or estimated GFR ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m², or serum creatinine ≤ upper limit of normal (ULN) based on age/gender.
   2. Liver: Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x ULN for age AND SGPT (ALT) ≤ 5.0 x ULN (if liver tumor is present) or ≤ 3.0 x ULN (if no liver tumor).
   3. CNS: No clinical or radiological evidence of active CNS disease (well-controlled seizures allowed), and CNS toxicity ≤ Grade 2.
   4. Cardiac: Shortening fraction ≥ 27% or Ejection fraction ≥ 50% by ECHO or gated radionuclide study.
   5. Pulmonary: No dyspnea at rest, no exercise intolerance, no chronic oxygen requirement, and room air pulse oximetry > 94%.
8. Must be enrolled on the TPOG N2020-GD2 protocol with completed informed consent forms, and be willing to proceed to standard therapy of high-risk neuroblastoma with a 10-year follow-up.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Participation in other interventional clinical trials within 1 month.
2. Inability to obey the trial instructions.
3. Patients with bone marrow failure syndromes.
4. Current requirement for immunosuppressive medications (e.g., tacrolimus, cyclosporine, systemic corticosteroids for reasons other than prevention/treatment of acute allergic reactions or adrenal replacement therapy).

5. Females who are pregnant or breastfeeding (A pregnancy test is required for female patients of childbearing potential).

   1. Female patients who are pregnant are ineligible since fetal toxicities and teratogenic effects have been noted for several of the study drugs. A pregnancy test is required for female patients of childbearing potential.
   2. Lactating females who plan to breastfeed their infants.
   3. The subject or their partner is planning to conceive
   4. Sexually active patients of reproductive potential who have not agreed to use an effective contraceptive method during study therapy and for two months after the last dose of (ch14.18/CHO) (dinutuximab-β) are not eligible.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Dinutuximab-Beta with Induction Chemotherapy; Participants will receive dinutuximab-beta administered as a continuous intravenous infusion in combination with an induction chemotherapy regimen consisting of cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin (or epirubicin), etoposide, and cisplatin.	Biological: Dinutuximab Beta; Dinutuximab-beta 10 mg/m²/day administered as a continuous intravenous infusion on Days 0-9 of Cycles 2-6.; Other Names: Qarziba; Drug: Induction chemotherapy; Six cycles of standard induction chemotherapy consisting of cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin (or epirubicin), etoposide, and cisplatin administered according to the study treatment schedule.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Number of Participants with Unacceptable Toxicities or Toxic Death	Tolerability is assessed by the number of toxic deaths and the number of patients experiencing unacceptable toxicities. Unacceptable toxicities are assessed according to CTCAE criteria and include: toxicity requiring pressors for ≥ 24 hours (e.g., Grade 4 capillary leak syndrome, Grade 4 anaphylaxis/allergic reaction, or Grade 3-4 hypotension),; toxicity requiring ventilatory support for > 24 hours,; Grade 4 or unresolved Grade 3 peripheral motor/sensory neuropathy,; Grade 4 acute infusion reaction.	During Cycles 2-6 of induction therapy (up to approximately 6 months).
Clinical Response Rate (RR)	Clinical response rate is defined as the percentage of eligible participants who achieve a Partial Response (PR) or better (e.g., Complete Response or Very Good Partial Response). The tumor response will be evaluated using the revised International Neuroblastoma Response Criteria (INRC).	At the end of induction therapy (up to approximately 6 months).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Event-Free Survival (EFS)	Event-free survival (EFS) is defined as the time from the date of study enrollment to the occurrence of disease relapse or progression, secondary malignancy, or death.	Up to 10 years from the date of study enrollment.
Overall Survival (OS)	Overall survival (OS) is defined as the time from the date of study enrollment to death from any cause. Patients without death will be censored at the time of last follow-up.	Up to 10 years from the date of study enrollment.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
• Collaborators: National Taiwan University Hospital
• Investigators: Study Chair: Shih-Hsiang Chen, M.D., Chang Gung Memorial Hospital; Study Chair: Meng-Yao Lu, M.D., National Taiwan University Hospital

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): July 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2032
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2032

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 30, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 30, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): July 7, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 7, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 30, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: High-risk; Neuroblastoma; newly-diagnosed; chemoimmumotherapy; dinutuximab-beta
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Neoplasms; Neoplasms by Histologic Type; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial; Neoplasms, Neuroepithelial; Neuroectodermal Tumors; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal; Neoplasms, Nerve Tissue; Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive, Peripheral; Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive; Neuroblastoma; Therapeutics; Drug Therapy; Remission Induction; dinutuximab; Induction Chemotherapy
• Other Study ID Numbers: TPOG N2020-GD2

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