A Feasibility Study of Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Merkel Cell Carcinoma

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Trial Details

Sponsor: Karam Khaddour, MD, MS (other)

Phase: 2

Start date: Feb. 10, 2026

Planned enrollment: 14

Trial ID: NCT07288073
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More trial details at ClinicalTrials.gov More info

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Investigational Drug AI Analysis

chevron Show for: LN-145 (lifileucel)

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Goal: Assess whether autologous tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy can be manufactured and administered safely after lymphodepleting chemotherapy in patients with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) or Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) previously treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Antitumor activity is also assessed.

Patients: Adults with unresectable, recurrent, or metastatic CSCC or MCC and progression after checkpoint inhibitor treatment, or recurrence within 6 months of neoadjuvant or adjuvant checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Patients need ECOG performance status 0–2, a lesion suitable for TIL harvest, remaining measurable or evaluable disease, and adequate organ function.

Design: Open-label, single-center, nonrandomized phase 2 feasibility study with separate CSCC and MCC cohorts and no control arm.

Treatments: Patients undergo surgical tumor harvest to manufacture autologous LN-145 (lifileucel), followed by lymphodepleting fludarabine and cyclophosphamide, a single TIL infusion, and up to six doses of interleukin-2. Lifileucel consists of T cells expanded from the patient’s tumor to recognize and attack cancer cells; it has no single specified molecular target. It is approved for certain patients with advanced melanoma but remains investigational for CSCC and MCC. In a single-arm melanoma study, approximately 32% of treated patients responded; this does not establish efficacy in either cohort studied here. Fludarabine and cyclophosphamide reduce existing lymphocytes before infusion, while interleukin-2 supports the infused cells.

Outcomes: Primary measures are successful manufacture of a TIL product containing at least 1 billion cells, completion of lymphodepletion and TIL infusion with at least one interleukin-2 dose, and incidence of grade 3 or higher treatment-emergent adverse events. Secondary measures include RECIST 1.1 objective response rate, progression-free survival, duration of response, and overall survival.

Burden on patient: High. Participation requires surgical tumor harvest, several consecutive days of intravenous chemotherapy, TIL infusion, interleukin-2 dosing, and close monitoring for potentially severe toxicity. Screening and follow-up may involve repeated blood and urine tests, imaging, cardiac and pulmonary assessments, and potentially bone marrow procedures. Imaging is scheduled at weeks 6 and 12, with follow-up every 3 months for up to 3 years; the single-center design may also require substantial travel.

Last updated: Sep 2026

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Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States

[email protected] / 617-632-6571

Status: Recruiting

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