Umea

Researchers are evaluating the safety, tolerability, and therapeutic effects of BNT113 combined with pembrolizumab compared to pembrolizumab alone as a first-line treatment for patients with unresectable recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma HNSCC positive for human papilloma virus 16 HPV16 and expressing the protein PD-L1 with a combined positive score of 1 or higher. This is an open-label, multi-site, Phase IIIII clinical trial consisting of two parts an initial safety run-in phase and a randomized phase. In the safety run-in phase Part A, patients receive BNT113 in combination with pembrolizumab to confirm safety and tolerability at selected dose levels. The randomized phase Part B compares BNT113 combined with pembrolizumab against pembrolizumab monotherapy. Treatments are given by intravenous injection or infusion and continue for up to 24 months. An optional pre-screening phase allows tumor samples to be tested for HPV16 DNA and PD-L1 expression before the main trial screening. Participants will be closely monitored throughout the study. Assessments include safety evaluations, tumor response, and survival outcomes such as overall survival and progression-free survival. Tumor tissue samples must be provided for testing. Researchers will measure treatment-emergent adverse events, response rates, duration of response, and disease control. The study may last up to 48 months, with ongoing safety and efficacy monitoring during and after treatment.

Cardiovascular disease CVD is a leading cause of death worldwide and unhealthy lifestyle behaviors are well-known risk factors. This study evaluates whether a digital lifestyle intervention developed within Swedish primary healthcare can improve important cardiovascular health outcomes and promote healthier lifestyle behaviors in patients aged 40 to 60 years. Participants are recruited from multiple centers in Sweden and randomized to either the intervention or control group with standard care. Participants in the intervention group receive support through a digital lifestyle program that includes lectures, home assignments, and group meetings, along with personalized digital feedback from healthcare providers. Both groups receive standard care, which is one structured health dialogue focused on lifestyle habits. The study measures outcomes at 6 months post-randomization, including LDL-cholesterol as the primary outcome, and several secondary outcomes related to cholesterol levels, blood glucose, blood pressure, weight, lifestyle behaviors, and quality of life. Throughout the study, participants undergo assessments of blood lipids, glucose, blood pressure, body measurements, and lifestyle factors such as diet, physical activity, sleep, stress, alcohol, and tobacco use. Researchers also evaluate cardiovascular risk scores and collect participant feedback on using the digital intervention. The total study duration is 6 months post-randomization with data collected to assess the impact of the digital program compared to standard care.

Researchers are investigating ways to personalize treatment for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma HNSCC, especially those with advanced disease who face a higher risk of treatment failure. This phase III study compares two radiotherapy approaches for patients intended for curative treatment the standard radiotherapy and a hyperfractionated radiotherapy HFX-RT with a higher total radiation dose. The study also aims to improve prognostic and predictive methods by including exploratory analyses such as MRI to evaluate tumor hypoxia, gene profiling, immune profiling, and imaging texture analyses during treatment and follow-up. Participants will be randomly assigned to either standard radiotherapy, which delivers 68.0 Gy in daily fractions of 2.0 Gy, or to hyperfractionated radiotherapy, which delivers 83.0 Gy in smaller doses twice daily 1.22 Gy per fraction over five days per week. The doses vary depending on the tumor volume and lymph node involvement. Patients with lower-risk tumors not eligible for randomization may still participate in the translational research parts of the study. During the study, participants will be closely monitored with regular follow-up visits every three months for two years, then every six months up to five years, focusing on local tumor control. Researchers will collect imaging data, conduct gene and protein analyses, and assess tumor response. The study evaluates treatment effects and tumor behavior over time to better understand and improve outcomes for head and neck cancer patients.

Researchers are evaluating AZD0780, an oral PCSK9 inhibitor, in a phase 3, randomized, placebo-controlled study. This trial focuses on patients with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease ASCVD or those at high risk for a first ASCVD event. The study aims to assess how AZD0780 compares to placebo in reducing the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, also known as MACE-PLUS, over the course of the trial. Participants are randomly assigned to receive either oral AZD0780 once daily or a matching placebo once daily. The study continues until a primary analysis censoring date, which may be up to approximately 54 months from randomization. After this, a study closure visit will be conducted as the final visit for each participant. During the study, participants will be regularly monitored for cardiovascular events including heart attacks, strokes, urgent coronary revascularizations, and other related outcomes. Researchers will track the time to first occurrence of these events as the primary outcome. Safety and other secondary outcomes like all-cause mortality will also be assessed. The total participation time can last up to about 54 months, with ongoing evaluations throughout this period.

Researchers are evaluating an intermittent dosing approach of ibrutinib, a drug used to treat advanced-phase chronic lymphocytic leukemia CLL and small lymphocytic lymphoma SLL. The study explores whether stopping and restarting ibrutinib based on disease progression can maintain disease control while potentially reducing drug costs and side effects. This pilot study focuses on patients who have already received at least six months of ibrutinib and achieved a stable partial remission. Participants will follow an ON-OFF dosing schedule where ibrutinib is stopped after stable partial response and restarted upon clinical progression. The drug is given at the standard daily oral dose of 420 mg during ON periods, and cycles of treatment and off-therapy periods may be repeated until resistance, intolerance, or the need for continuous dosing arises. This approach is being tested to assess the feasibility of intermittent therapy. Throughout the study, participants will be monitored for safety by tracking adverse events over 1 to 24 months. Researchers will also evaluate response rates, time to partial remission, duration off therapy before restarting ibrutinib, cumulative dose, survival, risk of early disease rebound, and time until alternative treatments are needed. Participants will have regular visits for clinical assessments, laboratory tests, and adherence to the study schedule.

Researchers are investigating whether regular radiological assessments during follow-up after surgery for high-risk malignant melanoma improve patient survival. The study addresses concerns about the resource demands, potential radiation exposure, and anxiety caused by such imaging, especially given the recent introduction of effective medical treatments for melanoma. There is currently no clear evidence supporting routine imaging in this context. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group follows national guidelines with regular doctor appointments for 3 years, while the other group receives the same follow-up plus additional whole-body CT or PET scans and blood tests at baseline, 6, 12, 24, and 36 months. An interim analysis will be done after 1,000 patients enroll. During the study, researchers will monitor overall survival at 5 years as the primary outcome. They will also assess quality of life through questionnaires over the 3-year follow-up. Participants will attend scheduled visits for clinical evaluations, imaging, and blood tests, with the study aiming to provide clear evidence about the role of imaging in post-surgical melanoma care.

This trial focuses on elderly patients aged 80 years or older, or those 75 years and older who are considered frail, with untreated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma DLBCL and related lymphoma subtypes. The study is a phase III, randomized, open-label, multicenter trial conducted in several countries including Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Italy, Australia, and New Zealand. It aims to compare the standard chemotherapy regimen R-miniCHOP with an experimental treatment R-pola-miniCHP, where vincristine is replaced by polatuzumab vedotin, to assess differences in outcomes for this patient population. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups. One group will receive R-mini-CHOP consisting of rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone over six 21-day cycles. The other group will receive R-pola-mini-CHP, which includes rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, prednisone, and polatuzumab vedotin instead of vincristine, also given over six 21-day cycles. Both treatments last approximately 18 weeks. The study includes a screening period lasting up to 4 weeks before treatment begins. During the study, participants will be followed for up to 36 months after completing treatment to monitor progression-free survival over two years. Researchers will evaluate disease progression and safety outcomes through regular assessments during and after the treatment period. Participants will provide informed consent and undergo evaluations including health status and disease measurements to ensure eligibility and monitor treatment effects throughout the trial.

This research aims to evaluate how well two new drugs, CagriSema and cagrilintide, help children and adolescents with excess body weight lose weight. The study includes participants aged 8 to under 18 years who have overweight or obesity. It is a Phase 3 trial that compares these new drugs with semaglutide, a drug already prescribed for weight management, and a placebo to understand their effects on weight loss. Participants in the main study are randomly assigned to receive one of four treatments CagriSema, cagrilintide, semaglutide, or placebo. All treatments are given once weekly as subcutaneous injections, starting with a dose escalation phase lasting up to 16 weeks, followed by a maintenance phase for 52 weeks. Those who receive semaglutide do not join the extension study. Participants in the extension study continue treatment with either CagriSema or cagrilintide for up to 156 weeks, while placebo participants follow a specific dosing regimen before continuing in the extension. During the study, participants will be monitored for changes in body mass index BMI and weight over time, with assessments at baseline, week 68, and for some measures, week 224. Researchers will also track body composition, metabolic markers, quality of life, and safety events. The entire duration for participants can be up to nearly five years if they take part in both the main and extension studies, involving regular visits and evaluations to understand the treatments effects and safety.

Researchers are comparing two treatment combinations for adults with advanced nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer NSCLC that have a specific KRAS p.G12C mutation and are negative for PD-L1 expression. The study aims to evaluate progression-free survival and overall survival between participants receiving sotorasib with platinum doublet chemotherapy and those receiving pembrolizumab with platinum doublet chemotherapy. This phase 3, randomized, open-label trial is led by Amgen and includes participants with stage IV or advanced stage IIIBC NSCLC. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either sotorasib orally combined with carboplatin and pemetrexed, or pembrolizumab intravenously combined with the same chemotherapy drugs. These treatments are given as front-line therapy. The study includes a treatment period with these drug combinations and monitoring for outcomes such as response rates and quality of life over several years. During the study, participants will be regularly assessed through various measures including survival status, tumor response, and quality-of-life questionnaires focusing on lung cancer symptoms. Researchers will monitor safety by tracking adverse events, vital signs, and laboratory tests. Treatment concentrations of sotorasib will also be measured up to 64 days after starting. The total study duration includes follow-up for up to approximately 5.5 years to fully evaluate treatment effects and outcomes.

Researchers are evaluating the effects of a triple therapy inhaler combining budesonide, glycopyrronium, and formoterol fumarate BGF MDI 32014.49.6 g compared to a dual therapy inhaler with glycopyrronium and formoterol fumarate GFF MDI 14.49.6 g on heart and lung outcomes in adults with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease COPD who have a higher risk for heart and lung events. This Phase III study is randomized, double-blind, and conducted at multiple centers, focusing on participants with COPD and elevated cardiopulmonary risk. Participants will receive either the triple therapy inhaler or the dual therapy inhaler, both administered twice daily. The study compares these two inhalers over a period of up to three years, monitoring for serious cardiac or COPD events. The trial includes careful evaluation of various heart and lung-related health events during this period. During the study, participants will be closely monitored through regular visits, assessments, and tests to measure lung function, heart events, and COPD exacerbations. Researchers will track the time until the first severe cardiac or COPD event and evaluate other cardiovascular and respiratory outcomes over up to three years. Participants will also be assessed for their ability to properly use the inhaler and adherence to the study protocol throughout the trial.