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Updated June 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov

RECRUITINGPhase 1INTERVENTIONAL

Intratumoral Delivery of Viral Replicon (saRNA) Particles Expressing IL-12 in Head and Neck Cancer

Study of Intratumoral Injections of VLPONC-01 in Head and Neck Cancer

Intratumoral Delivery of Viral Replicon (saRNA) Particles Expressing IL-12 in Head and Neck Cancer (NCT06736379) is a Phase 1 interventional studying Head and Neck Cancers- Squamous Cell and Head and Neck Cancer, sponsored by VLP Therapeutics. RECRUITING as of the most recent ClinicalTrials.gov update. Talk to your doctor before contacting the trial site.

Important: This information is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

About This Trial

The goal of this clinical trial is to assess the safety and tolerability of a virus replicon particle (VRP) encapsulated saRNA encoding IL-12 when injected into in head and neck cancer patients. The main questions being addressed are: The safety and tolerability of intratumoral (IT) injections of VRP-encapsulated saRNA encoding IL-12 (VLPONC-01) The tumor response to IT injections of VLPONC-01 The tumor response due to the combination of IT injections of VLPONC-01 and system IV administration of neoadjuvant pembrolizumab (anti-PD-1) treatment Researchers will compare neoadjuvant pembrolizumab alone to the combination therapy to see if the combination enhances tumor responses.

What Stage of Research Is This?

Phase 1 trials test a new treatment for the first time in humans, focusing on safety, dosing, and how the body processes the drug. For Head and Neck Cancers- Squamous Cell, a Phase 1 study typically enrolls a small number of participants — often healthy volunteers or patients who have exhausted standard treatment options. Phase 1 results determine whether a treatment moves into larger Phase 2 efficacy studies.

This trial is currently recruiting participants. The sponsor has registered the study with ClinicalTrials.gov as actively enrolling, which means new applicants who meet the eligibility criteria can be considered for screening. Trial status can change between updates — confirm current recruiting status with the study contact before traveling for a screening visit.

With a target enrollment of 41 participants, this is a small study — typical of early-phase research, rare-disease trials, or pilot studies designed to generate preliminary signal before a larger study is launched.

Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)

Who May Qualify: 1. Cohort A - Unresectable or recurrent/metastatic head and neck cancer with at least 1 injectable tumor not scheduled for tumor resection surgery. With one the following prior treatments: Subjects must have received a platinum containing chemotherapy regimen, 5-Fluorouracil chemotherapy, taxane based chemotherapy, cetuximab or gemcitabine for treatment of primary tumor in locally advanced, or metastatic settings. Subjects must have received an anti-PD-1/ PD-L1 as monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy. Subjects must have progressed following therapy with at least one PD-1 or PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitor (regardless of PD-L1 expression status). Prior progression on a PD-1 or PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitor should be unequivocal; progression that occurs within the first 8 weeks of treatment on these agents should be confirmed with a second CT at least 4 weeks apart (to exclude pseudo-progression). Patients with activating EGFR mutation or ALK rearrangement which is expected to be responsive to available tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy, therefore these subjects must have been previously treated with an applicable tyrosine kinase inhibitor. OR Cohort C - Patients with at least 1 measurable resectable lesion clinical stage I-IVb (cT1-4, N0-3) (AJCC, 8th Edition) (Amin, 2017), diagnosed by tissue sample (biopsy-confirmed) HNSCC. Scheduled to undergo tumor surgical resection of the primary tumor. 2. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0-1, and adequate bone marrow and organ function. 3. Primary tumors should be amenable to intratumoral (IT) injection \>1 cm diameter. This will be determined by the Protocol Director, or the surgeon involved. 4. Subjects with either a local recurrence or a new primary tumor will be allowed. 5. Age ≥ 18 years. 6. Have acceptable organ and marrow function defined as follows: ...See full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov Always talk to your doctor about whether this trial is right for you.

These are translations of the protocol\'s inclusion and exclusion criteria, simplified for patients and caregivers. The original clinical text appears below. Eligibility is ultimately confirmed by the trial site\'s screening process — this summary is a starting point for a conversation with your doctor, not a final determination.

Original Eligibility Criteria

View original clinical language
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Cohort A - Unresectable or recurrent/metastatic head and neck cancer with at least 1 injectable tumor not scheduled for tumor resection surgery. With one the following prior treatments: Subjects must have received a platinum containing chemotherapy regimen, 5-Fluorouracil chemotherapy, taxane based chemotherapy, cetuximab or gemcitabine for treatment of primary tumor in locally advanced, or metastatic settings. Subjects must have received an anti-PD-1/ PD-L1 as monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy. Subjects must have progressed following therapy with at least one PD-1 or PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitor (regardless of PD-L1 expression status). Prior progression on a PD-1 or PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitor should be unequivocal; progression that occurs within the first 8 weeks of treatment on these agents should be confirmed with a second CT at least 4 weeks apart (to exclude pseudo-progression). Patients with activating EGFR mutation or ALK rearrangement which is expected to be responsive to available tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy, therefore these subjects must have been previously treated with an applicable tyrosine kinase inhibitor. OR Cohort C - Patients with at least 1 measurable resectable lesion clinical stage I-IVb (cT1-4, N0-3) (AJCC, 8th Edition) (Amin, 2017), Histologically or cytologically confirmed HNSCC. Scheduled to undergo tumor surgical resection of the primary tumor. 2. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0-1, and adequate bone marrow and organ function. 3. Primary tumors should be amenable to intratumoral (IT) injection \>1 cm diameter. This will be determined by the Protocol Director, or the surgeon involved. 4. Subjects with either a local recurrence or a new primary tumor will be allowed. 5. Age ≥ 18 years. 6. Have acceptable organ and marrow function defined as follows: Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mcL Platelets ≥ 100,000/mcL Hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL (Note: use of transfusion or other intervention to achieve Hgb ≥ 8.0 g/dL is acceptable) Total bilirubin ≤2x institutional upper limit of normal (ULN) AST(SGOT) or ALT(SGPT) ≤ 3.0x institutional ULN 7. Ability to understand and the willingness to provide written informed consent. 8. Life expectancy \> 12 weeks (about 3 months). 9. Patients must be willing and able to comply with scheduled visits, treatment plan, laboratory tests and other study procedures. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Tumors which are not feasible for injections include high risk lesions that are near vital organs or important neurovascular structures, as determined by the Protocol Director or involved surgeon. 2. Women of childbearing potential must have a negative serum β-hCG pregnancy test within 7 days prior to the administration of the first study treatment and/or urine pregnancy 48 hours prior to the administration of the first study treatment. Both sexually active women of childbearing potential and males (and their female partners) patients must agree to use two methods of effective contraception, one of them being a barrier method, or to abstain from sexual activity during the study and for at least 6 months after last dose of study drugs. 3. Patients expected to receive other anti-cancer medication such as, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, biologic therapy, targeted therapy, monoclonal antibodies, hormonal therapy (other than leuprolide or other GnRH agonists) prior to surgery and where all acute toxicity of prior treatments have not resolved. 4. Participation in another clinical study with an investigational product during the last 30 days. 5. Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, that do not respond to active medical intervention. 6. Current or prior use of immunosuppressive medication within 28 days before the first dose of injection, with the exceptions of intranasal and inhaled corticosteroids or systemic corticosteroids at physiological doses, which are not to exceed 10 mg/day of prednisone or an equivalent corticosteroid. 7. If applicable: Women who are breastfeeding. 8. History of allogenic organ transplant that requires use of immunosuppressives. 9. Subject has active or uncontrolled infection including known HIV infection or known chronic hepatitis B or C. 10. Any condition that, in the investigator's opinion, would interfere with evaluation of study treatment or interpretation of patient safety or study results. 11. Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including those that do not respond to active medical intervention. 12. Any contraindication to the use of known history of hypersensitivity to any immune therapy's drugs.

Treatments Being Tested

BIOLOGICAL

VRP-encapsulated saRNA encoding IL-12 (1 x 10^9 viral particles per injection)

Weekly IT injections of 1 x 10\^9 viral particles of VLPONC-01

DRUG

Pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA®)

200mg twice 3 weeks apart IV

BIOLOGICAL

VRP-encapsulated saRNA encoding IL-12 (3 x 10^8 viral particles per injection)

Weekly IT injections of 3 x 10\^8 viral particles of VLPONC-01

Locations (1)

Trial sites listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for this study. Site activation status can vary — confirm with the specific site before traveling for a screening visit.

Stanford University
Stanford, California, United States

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT06736379), the sponsor (VLP Therapeutics), and the key eligibility criteria — to your next appointment. Your doctor can review the inclusion and exclusion criteria against your medical history, lab values, and current treatments to assess whether you are likely to qualify. They can also help you weigh whether trial participation makes sense alongside your existing care plan.

Useful questions to walk through together: What does the trial protocol require beyond standard care? How long is the active treatment phase, and how long is follow-up? Are there study visits at sites I can reach? Who pays for the trial-specific procedures, and who pays for standard-of-care portions? See our 25 questions to ask about clinical trials guide for a more complete checklist.

Authoritative Sources

The official record for this trial lives on ClinicalTrials.gov — the federal registry maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. For background on how this trial fits into the FDA approval pathway, see the FDA drug approval process. For oncology-specific guidance for patients considering trials, the National Cancer Institute publishes patient-oriented overviews. International trial registries are aggregated by the WHO ICTRP.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NCT06736379 clinical trial studying?

The goal of this clinical trial is to assess the safety and tolerability of a virus replicon particle (VRP) encapsulated saRNA encoding IL-12 when injected into in head and neck cancer patients. The main questions being addressed are: The safety and tolerability of intratumoral (IT) injections of VRP-encapsulated saRNA encoding IL-12 (VLPONC-01) The tumor response to IT injections of VLPONC-01 The tumor response due to the combination of IT injections of VLPONC-01 and system IV administration of neoadjuvant pembrolizumab (anti-PD-1) treatment Researchers will compare neoadjuvant pembrolizu… The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.

Who can participate in NCT06736379?

Eligibility for this trial depends on the specific inclusion and exclusion criteria set by the sponsor. The plain-English summary above translates the most important criteria into accessible language; the official clinical text is preserved in the collapsible section underneath. Whether you fit any specific trial is a medical decision your doctor needs to confirm — bring the trial information to your treating physician for a full review against your medical history.

How do I contact the trial site for NCT06736379?

Contact information registered with ClinicalTrials.gov is shown in the sidebar of this page. Before reaching out, confirm with your treating physician that this trial is appropriate for your situation. The trial site will then walk you through the screening process to determine final eligibility.

Is participating in a clinical trial safe?

Clinical trials in the United States are regulated by the FDA and overseen by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) that review the protocol for safety. Risk varies by trial — Phase 1 studies test new treatments in humans for the first time, while Phase 3 trials use treatments that have already passed earlier safety screening. The informed consent document for any specific trial details the known risks and what to expect. Discuss those risks with your physician before deciding whether to participate.

Where can I verify the data on this page?

Every detail on this page comes directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API. Click "View on ClinicalTrials.gov" in the sidebar to see the official, unmodified record. The federal record is always authoritative; this page is a structured presentation with a plain-English eligibility translation. For background on how clinical trials are regulated, see the FDA drug approval process documentation.

How This Page Is Built

Every field on this page is pulled directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 — no estimates, no proxies. The plain-English eligibility translation is generated from the original protocol text and reviewed for fidelity to the underlying clinical criteria. The original clinical text remains visible in the collapsible section above so users and clinicians can verify the translation. Read the full methodology for the data pipeline and known limitations.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 record for NCT06736379. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT06736379. Data: ClinicalTrials.gov."

Medical disclaimer: This page is informational, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

Last updated 2026-06-26 · Data from ClinicalTrials.gov.