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Recruiting Phase 2 NCT04114136

NCT04114136 Anti-PD-1 mAb Plus Metabolic Modulator in Solid Tumor Malignancies

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Clinical Trial Summary
NCT ID NCT04114136
Status Recruiting
Phase Phase 2
Sponsor Dan Zandberg
Condition Melanoma
Study Type INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment 72 participants
Start Date 2020-09-14
Primary Completion 2025-08-08

Eligibility & Interventions

Sex All sexes
Min Age 18 Years
Max Age N/A
Study Type INTERVENTIONAL
Interventions
Nivolumab or Pembrolizumab (dependent upon approved indication)MetforminRosiglitazone

Eligibility Fast-Check

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What to Expect as a Participant

You will actively receive the study intervention — which may be a drug, biologic, device, or procedure.

In Phase 2, researchers evaluate early signs of effectiveness. You may be randomized to receive the active treatment or a comparator. Monitoring continues closely.

This trial targets 72 participants in total. It began in 2020-09-14 with a primary completion date of 2025-08-08.

⚠ This information is for research awareness only. Always consult your physician before joining any clinical trial. Participation is voluntary and you may withdraw at any time.

Brief Summary

Patients with histologically or cytologically confirmed advanced melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, NSCLC, HCC (Child Pugh Class A only), MSI-High solid tumors, Urothelial Cancer, GE junction/Gastric Adenocarcinoma, or HNSCC for which current standard of care treatment for their stage of disease would be with Pembrolizumab or Nivolumab monotherapy, who meet eligibility criteria will undergo a biopsy (core or excisional/incisional; FNA not adequate) for baseline tissue. Patients will then be randomized to one of 3 arms: Anti-PD-1 mAb plus Metformin 500mg po BID, Anti-PD-1 mAb alone, Anti-PD-1 mAb plus Rosiglitazone 4mg po qdaily. Five weeks (+/- 7 days) after initiation of therapy a patient will undergo a repeat biopsy (core or excisional/incisional; FNA not adequate) for correlative analysis. The patient will then continue on study therapy for up to 2 years, or until progression of disease or unacceptable toxicity, whichever occurs first. RECIST 1.1 with modifications, to allow for continued therapy until progressive disease is confirmed if the patient is clinically stable, will be used in the trial.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Histologically or cytologically confirmed advanced melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, NSCLC, HCC (Child Pugh Class A only), MSI-High solid tumors, Urothelial Cancer, GE junction/Gastric Adenocarcinoma, or HNSCC for which current standard of care treatment for their stage of disease would be with Pembrolizumab or Nivolumab monotherapy. 2. Accessible tumor for pretreatment (baseline) and post treatment biopsy. Tumor must be accessible for core or surgical biopsy (excisional/incisional), FNA is not adequate 3. Age ≥ 18 years 4. Have at least one measurable area of disease (Target Lesion) based on RECIST 1.1. 5. ECOG performance status 0-2 6. Patients must have normal organ and marrow function as defined below: absolute neutrophil count ≥1,500/mcL platelets ≥100,000/mcL total bilirubin ≤ institutional upper limit of normal (ULN) AST(SGOT)/ALT(SGPT) ≤2.5 × institutional ULN Creatinine clearance ≥40 mL/min/1.73 m2 7. Female subjects of childbearing potential should have a negative urine or serum pregnancy within 7 days prior to receiving the first dose of study medication. If the urine test is positive or cannot be confirmed as negative, a serum pregnancy test will be required. 8. Female subjects of childbearing potential should be willing to use one methods of birth control or abstain from heterosexual activity for the course of the study through 120 days after the last dose of study medication. Women of childbearing potential are those who have not been surgically sterilized or have not been free from menses for \> 1 year. 9. Male subjects should agree to use an adequate method of contraception starting with the first dose of study therapy through 120 days after the last dose of study therapy. 10. Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document 11. If known to have prior brain metastases, must not have evidence of active (enlarging and/or symptomatic lesions) brain disease on MRI/CT evaluation. 12. A type II DM patient who does not currently require prescription medication for diabetes treatment and has not received metformin, insulin, sulfonylureas or thiazolidinediones within 60 days of the start of study treatment can be enrolled on the study. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Treatment with prior anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 mAb therapy 2. Patients with type I DM or any patient who has received metformin, insulin, sulfonylureas, or thiazolidinediones within 60 days of start of study treatment for any reason. 3. Pregnancy or breastfeeding. Women of childbearing potential (WOCBP) must practice acceptable methods of birth control to prevent pregnancy. Prior to study enrollment, WOCBP must be advised of the importance of avoiding pregnancy during trial participation and the potential risk factors for an unintentional pregnancy. In addition, men enrolled on this study must be informed of the risks to any sexual partner of childbearing potential and should practice an effective method of birth control. 4. All WOCBP MUST have a negative pregnancy test within 7 days prior to first receiving investigational product. If the pregnancy test is positive, the patient must not receive investigational product and must not be enrolled in the study. 5. Has an active autoimmune disease requiring systemic treatment within the past 3 months or a documented history of clinically severe autoimmune disease, or a syndrome that requires systemic steroids or immunosuppressive agents. Subjects with vitiligo, Grave's disease, or psoriasis not requiring systemic therapy or resolved childhood asthma/atopy would be an exception to this rule. Subjects that require intermittent use of bronchodilators or local steroid injections would not be excluded from the study. Subjects with hypothyroidism stable on hormone replacement or Sjogren's syndrome will not be excluded from the study. 6. History of uncontrolled cardiac disease (e.g., uncontrolled hypertension, unstable angina, myocardial infarction within prior 6 months) 7. Symptomatic heart failure or New York Heart Association Class III or IV heart failure 8. Psychiatric illness or other social issues limiting compliance 9. Has a history of non-infectious pneumonitis that required steroids, evidence of interstitial lung disease, or currently active non-infectious pneumonitis. 10. Treatment with a non-approved or investigational drug within 14 days prior to Day 1 of study treatment. 11. Prior malignancy within 2 years with the exception of adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, carcinoma of the cervix or prostate cancer. 12. Has a history or current evidence of any condition, therapy, or laboratory abnormality that might confound the results of the trial, interfere with the subject's participation for the full duration of the trial, or is not in the best interest of the subject to participate, in the opinion of the treating investigator. 13. Has a known history of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (HIV 1/2 antibodies). Per Medical History Review 14. Hypersensitivity to metformin, rosiglitazone, pembrolizumab or nivolumab 15. Unable to take in pills either orally or via feeding tube 16. History of acidosis of any type or habitual intake of 5 or more alcoholic beverages a day. 17. Patients that require active treatment with Rifampin or Gemfibrozil for other medical conditions.

Contact & Investigator

Central Contact

Jennifer Ruth, RN, BSN

✉ ruthj2@upmc.edu

📞 412-623-8963

Principal Investigator

Dan P Zandberg

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

UPMC Hillman Cancer Center

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can join the NCT04114136 clinical trial?

This trial is open to participants of all sexes, aged 18 Years or older, studying Melanoma. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria are listed in the Eligibility Criteria section. Always confirm your eligibility with the research team before applying.

What phase is the NCT04114136 trial and what does that mean for participants?

Phase 2 trials evaluate whether the treatment shows signs of effectiveness while continuing to monitor safety. More participants are enrolled than in Phase 1 to help refine the treatment protocol.

Is NCT04114136 currently recruiting?

Yes, NCT04114136 is actively recruiting participants. Contact the research team at ruthj2@upmc.edu for enrollment information.

Where is the NCT04114136 trial being conducted?

This trial is being conducted at Pittsburgh, United States.

Who is sponsoring the NCT04114136 clinical trial?

NCT04114136 is sponsored by Dan Zandberg. The principal investigator is Dan P Zandberg at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. The trial plans to enroll 72 participants.

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ClinicalMetric — Independent clinical trial intelligence platform. Not affiliated with NIH, ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. FDA, or any pharmaceutical company, hospital, or clinical research organization. Trial data is sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Do not make any treatment, enrollment, or health decisions based solely on information found here — always consult a qualified healthcare professional. Full Disclaimer  ·  Last Reviewed: April 2026  ·  Data Methodology