Ongoing Clinical Trials for Thymoma
There are currently 2 ongoing clinical trials for thymoma, a rare tumor of the thymus gland. These trials are testing new immunotherapy combinations and supportive medications to improve treatment outcomes and reduce side effects for patients whose cancer has progressed or who are starting chemotherapy treatment.
Clinical trial locations
- France
- Netherlands
Study on the Safety and Effectiveness of Domvanalimab and Zimberelimab for Adults with Advanced Rare Cancers Resistant to Standard Treatment
This trial is testing a combination of two immunotherapy medications, Domvanalimab and Zimberelimab, for patients with advanced rare cancers including B3 thymomas and thymic carcinomas. The study is being conducted in France and focuses on cancers that have continued to grow despite at least one previous standard treatment.
Main inclusion criteria: To participate, you must have advanced or metastatic B3 thymoma or thymic carcinoma that has progressed or become resistant after at least one previous treatment. You need to be at least 18 years old with a life expectancy of at least 16 weeks. You should be able to perform most daily activities with an ECOG performance status of 0 or 1. You must have adequate bone marrow, kidney, and liver function. If you are of childbearing age, you must agree to use highly effective contraception. You will need to provide a tumor tissue sample and be affiliated with the French social security system.
Main exclusion criteria: You cannot participate if you do not have one of the specified rare cancers, if your cancer is not advanced or has not progressed after at least one treatment, or if you are under 18 years old. The study also excludes vulnerable populations such as children, pregnant women, or those unable to make decisions for themselves.
Focus and goal: The trial aims to evaluate whether the combination of Domvanalimab and Zimberelimab can effectively help the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells. Both medications are antibodies that work by blocking proteins that help cancer cells hide from the immune system. The study will monitor patients for up to 24 weeks to assess cancer progression rates, overall survival, and safety. Researchers hope to determine if this combination can provide a new treatment option for these challenging rare cancers.
Investigational drugs: Domvanalimab and Zimberelimab are both immunotherapy drugs administered through intravenous infusion. They work by enhancing the body’s natural ability to fight cancer by blocking specific proteins that cancer cells use to evade immune detection.
Study on Calcium Folinate to Reduce Pemetrexed Side Effects in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Mesothelioma, or Thymoma
This clinical trial is being conducted in the Netherlands and is studying whether calcium folinate can help reduce side effects caused by pemetrexed chemotherapy in patients with thymoma, mesothelioma, or non-small cell lung cancer. The medication being tested is called Rescuvolin, which contains calcium folinate.
Main inclusion criteria: You must be at least 18 years old and have non-small cell lung cancer, mesothelioma, or thymoma. You need to be eligible for pemetrexed-based chemotherapy and have an ECOG performance score between 0 and 2, meaning you can perform most daily activities even if you cannot work full-time. You must be able and willing to sign an informed consent form.
Main exclusion criteria: You cannot participate if you have any cancer type other than those specified in the study, if you are outside the required age range, or if you belong to a vulnerable population unable to give consent. Patients with medical conditions that doctors believe would make participation unsafe are also excluded, as are those currently enrolled in another clinical trial.
Focus and goal: The trial evaluates whether calcium folinate can prevent or reduce side effects of pemetrexed treatment, particularly neutropenia, which is a low count of infection-fighting white blood cells. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either calcium folinate or a placebo alongside their regular cancer treatment. The study will monitor blood cell counts and other potential side effects over time to determine if calcium folinate can improve quality of life during chemotherapy.
Investigational drugs: The trial uses pemetrexed, a chemotherapy drug that interferes with cancer cell growth, and folinic acid (calcium folinate), a form of vitamin B used as a protective agent to shield healthy cells from chemotherapy side effects. Folinic acid acts as a “rescue therapy” to help reduce the harmful effects of pemetrexed on normal cells while allowing the chemotherapy to work against cancer cells.
Summary
The two ongoing clinical trials for thymoma represent different approaches to improving treatment for this rare cancer. One trial in France focuses on advanced-stage disease using immunotherapy combinations for patients who have exhausted standard treatment options, while the other trial in the Netherlands aims to make existing chemotherapy safer and more tolerable by reducing side effects. Both trials accept only adult patients and require specific health criteria to ensure participant safety. These studies reflect the broader medical research effort to address the limited treatment options available for rare cancers like thymoma, with one investigating new therapeutic approaches and the other seeking to optimize existing treatments.
