Richmond

Researchers are evaluating treatments for patients with BRAF-V600 mutant melanoma that has spread to the brain. This phase II trial compares two combinations encorafenib, binimetinib, and nivolumab versus ipilimumab and nivolumab. The study aims to determine which approach is more effective at shrinking and controlling brain metastases, and it also examines survival, response rates, and treatment safety. Patients are randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups. One group takes encorafenib daily by mouth, binimetinib twice daily by mouth, and receives nivolumab through an intravenous IV infusion every 28 days. The other group receives nivolumab IV every cycle and ipilimumab IV over 30 minutes during the first four cycles, with cycles repeating every 21 days initially, then every 28 days. Treatment continues unless disease worsens or side effects become unacceptable. Participants undergo brain MRI scans before enrollment and throughout the study to assess tumor response using specific criteria. After completing treatment, patients are followed every six months for two years, then yearly up to three years. The study collects tissue, blood, spinal fluid, and stool samples for future research. Researchers monitor progression-free survival as the main outcome, along with overall survival, response rates, and treatment side effects.

This research aims to learn about the safety and effects of the study medicine PF-07328948 for adults with heart failure. The study evaluates whether PF-07328948 is safe and effective compared to a placebo in people who already take standard heart failure medicines including SGLT2 inhibitors. It is a phase 2 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial sponsored by Pfizer. Participants will take either placebo tablets or one of three doses of PF-07328948 tablets once daily by mouth for 36 weeks. The study includes four groups placebo, low dose, medium dose, and high dose of PF-07328948. Treatment lasts 36 weeks, followed by monitoring and assessments. Participants will be involved for about 48 weeks with 15 visits to the study clinic, of which 5 may be performed at home by phone and 10 in person. Researchers will assess clinical events, 6-minute walk test distance, and heart failure symptom scores at baseline and week 36. Safety will be monitored through adverse event reporting up to week 40. Various questionnaires and physical tests will track health status and treatment effects throughout the study.

Researchers are evaluating the combined use of vicadrostat and empagliflozin in adults with chronic heart failure who have a reduced left ventricular ejection fraction LVEF below 40%. Participants must have had chronic heart failure diagnosed at least three months before starting the study. The trial aims to find out if this combination helps people with symptomatic heart failure classified as New York Heart Association classes II to IV. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups, with an equal chance of receiving either vicadrostat plus empagliflozin tablets or placebo plus empagliflozin tablets. The study medicines are taken once daily for approximately six months up to about 3.5 years. During this time, participants may continue their usual heart failure treatments, excluding certain medications. The trial includes a double-blind design, meaning neither participants nor study staff know who receives the active drug or placebo. Throughout the study, participants visit the study site regularly, with the number of visits depending on how long they stay enrolled. Some visits may occur by phone. They answer questions about their well-being, and doctors monitor health status, record any heart failure worsening, hospitalizations, or deaths. The main outcome is the time until cardiovascular death, heart failure hospitalization, or urgent heart failure visit, which is compared between groups. Safety and side effects are also closely followed during the trial.

Researchers are evaluating whether the combination of vicadrostat BI 690517 and empagliflozin helps adults with heart failure who have symptoms and a left ventricular ejection fraction LVEF of 40% or more. This phase III study is designed to compare the effects of vicadrostatempagliflozin tablets versus placeboempagliflozin tablets on heart failure outcomes. The study aims to understand if this combined treatment improves health and reduces heart-related events. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups one group takes vicadrostat plus empagliflozin tablets once a day, and the other takes placebo plus empagliflozin tablets once a day. The study has no fixed duration and continues as long as participants benefit and tolerate the treatment. Throughout the study, participants visit their doctors regularly for health checks, and study staff may also contact them by phone to monitor well-being and any side effects. During the study, researchers monitor participants health through regular doctor visits and phone contacts. They collect data on heart-related events such as cardiovascular death, hospitalizations for heart failure, and urgent visits for heart failure over up to 42 months. Participants also answer questions about their symptoms and well-being. The study carefully tracks safety and treatment tolerance while gathering information to determine if the combined treatment helps people with heart failure.

Researchers are evaluating ziltivekimab, a new medicine not yet approved anywhere, to see if it can help people who were hospitalized due to a heart attack. The study aims to find out if ziltivekimab can reduce the development of heart disease and prevent future heart attacks or strokes. This is a Phase 3 clinical trial comparing ziltivekimab to a placebo in patients with acute myocardial infarction. Participants will receive an initial loading dose of ziltivekimab or matching placebo by injection under the skin as soon as possible after an invasive heart procedure, within 36 hours for STEMI or 48 hours for NSTEMI patients. After the loading dose, they will get monthly injections of the same study medicine for up to two years, in addition to their standard care. During the study, participants will be monitored for major cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death. Researchers will also track other heart-related outcomes and safety measures over a period of up to 25 months. The study involves regular visits for injections, assessments, and laboratory tests to evaluate the medicines effects and patient health throughout the trial.

Researchers are studying adults newly diagnosed with breast, colorectal, melanoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, or non-small cell lung cancer who are planning to receive systemic cancer therapies such as chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors ICIs. The study aims to understand how cannabis and cannabinoid use relates to cancer-related symptoms over one year. This observational research includes patients treated in community oncology clinics and is sponsored by Wake Forest University Health Sciences. Participants complete surveys and allow medical record reviews throughout the study. The study tracks cannabis and cannabinoid use as well as perceived benefits, harms, and adverse effects monthly for 12 months following enrollment. An optional sub-study is available at select sites for patients with non-small cell lung cancer receiving specific chemotherapy with ICIs. During the study, participants fill out monthly surveys about their symptoms and cannabis use. Researchers also review medical records to assess cancer-related symptoms and treatment progress. The main measure is cancer-related symptoms assessed monthly for up to one year. Secondary measures include cannabis use patterns and adverse effects. Participation involves ongoing survey completion and record review, with the total study duration lasting 12 months post-enrollment.

Researchers are collecting blood and tissue samples from people with and without cancer to help evaluate new tests that could detect cancer early. This study aims to create a set of blinded blood samples from both cancer and non-cancer patients to validate these tests, focusing on multiple cancer types and stages. The goal is to improve early cancer detection through laboratory research. Participants complete a questionnaire at the start and provide blood samples at registration and again 12 months later. Those diagnosed with cancer may also have tissue samples collected at these times. The study includes patients with various cancer types and stages, as well as individuals without cancer, with some allowing enrollment before full cancer confirmation under specific conditions. During the study, researchers review the collected samples and questionnaire data to assess test performance by tumor type and clinical stage at diagnosis. Participants are followed for one year after completing the study. Key measurements include the provision of a blinded reference set of cancer versus non-cancer blood samples to support future clinical trials focused on blood-based multi-cancer early detection.

This research aims to establish a national biorepository by collecting research data and samples from patients who experience side effects from immunotherapy treatments used in cancer care. It focuses on patients who have serious immune-related reactions, rare infections, or accelerated tumor growth after receiving immuno-oncology therapies. The goal is to help researchers better predict, prevent, and treat these side effects in the future. Participants will have tissue and blood samples collected within 72 hours after confirmation of a serious immune-related side effect and again one month later. For patients experiencing colitis, stool samples may also be collected. Alongside sample collection, medical records will be reviewed for up to one year. This study is observational and involves no experimental treatments. During the study, participants will provide biospecimens at two time points and allow access to their medical records for a year. Researchers will analyze these samples and clinical data to build a resource for future studies on immune-related adverse events. The main outcome is the establishment of this biorepository, which will be maintained for up to one year after enrollment.

Researchers are evaluating how to best recommend chemotherapy for patients with Stage IIB, IIC, or Stage III colon cancer based on the presence or absence of circulating tumor DNA ctDNA after surgery. This Phase IIIII trial explores whether ctDNA status can help guide decisions about the need for adjuvant chemotherapy and identify the optimal chemotherapy regimen for those at high risk of recurrence. Circulating tumor DNA is a promising biomarker that may detect microscopic residual cancer cells that traditional methods might miss. Participants are assigned to groups based on their ctDNA results after surgery. Those without detectable ctDNA ctDNA- may undergo serial monitoring without treatment or receive different chemotherapy regimens such as mFOLFOX6 or CAPOX for 3 to 6 months. Patients with detectable ctDNA ctDNA who have a higher risk of recurrence are randomized to receive either standard chemotherapy regimens like mFOLFOX6 or CAPOX for 6 months or a more intensive regimen called mFOLFIRINOX for 6 months. Central ctDNA testing is performed using the Signatera test to guide these assignments. During the study, participants have blood samples collected for ctDNA testing and undergo imaging scans to check for cancer recurrence. Researchers assess disease-free survival, overall survival, and chemotherapy compliance over several years. The study includes monitoring for safety and treatment effects, with follow-up planned for up to 5 years after randomization. Participants health status, laboratory tests, and tumor markers are regularly evaluated throughout the treatment and follow-up periods.

Researchers are evaluating treatment options for patients newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma who are considered frail or intermediate-fit and who are not candidates for stem cell transplant. This phase III trial compares three different three-drug induction regimens followed by either single or double drug maintenance therapies. The study aims to find which drug combination best controls the cancer and improves patient outcomes while considering patients age, other health conditions, and physical function. Participants are randomly assigned to one of three treatment arms. In Arm 1, patients receive bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone with bortezomib given subcutaneously and the others taken orally for up to 9 cycles, followed by lenalidomide maintenance. Arm 2 involves daratumumab with hyaluronidase-fihj given subcutaneously, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone for induction, followed by lenalidomide maintenance. Arm 3 includes the same induction as Arm 2, but maintenance therapy combines daratumumab with hyaluronidase-fihj and lenalidomide. Each cycle lasts 28 days, and treatment continues without disease progression or unacceptable side effects. During the trial, participants undergo regular assessments including tumor measurements, blood tests, and quality-of-life questionnaires. Researchers monitor progression-free survival, overall survival, response rates, minimal residual disease status, and patient-reported symptoms and health status. After completing treatment, patients are followed up every 3 months for one year, every 6 months for two years, and then annually for up to 10 years to monitor long-term outcomes and safety.