Recruiting

Testing a personalized cancer vaccine with immunotherapy for advanced skin cancer

Plain-English translation of NCT06961006 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated July 2026 · Translation generated July 2026 · How we translate trials

Phase 2 — Testing in a bigger group (up to a few hundred people) to see if the treatment actually works and is still safe.

What is this trial?

This study is testing whether , a personalized cancer vaccine designed specifically for your tumor, works better when combined with (a standard immunotherapy drug) compared to just alone. The vaccine is created from your own tumor tissue and is designed to help your immune system recognize and attack your specific cancer. Researchers want to see if people who receive both treatments live longer without their cancer growing or spreading.

Advanced melanoma is a serious form of skin cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. While immunotherapy like helps many patients, some people still experience their cancer progressing. This trial is exploring whether adding a personalized vaccine to standard immunotherapy could give patients' immune systems a better chance of fighting their individual cancer.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you have been diagnosed with stage III or IV melanoma (skin cancer that has spread) that cannot be removed with surgery
your melanoma has not been treated before with immunotherapy or targeted therapy, or if you have received those treatments, your cancer did not come back within 12 months after stopping
you have a tumor sample available that can be tested and used to create your personalized vaccine
you have at least one measurable tumor that can be seen on imaging scans
if you have HIV, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C, your condition must be well controlled with medication

You likely don't qualify if…

you have severe heart failure (New York Heart Association class III or IV) that is not well controlled
you have melanoma of the eye or inside the mouth (mucosal melanoma)
you have received prior immunotherapy drugs that work on PD-1, PD-L1, PD-L2, CTLA-4, or other similar immune checkpoint pathways (with limited exceptions)
you received blood transfusions or certain growth factor medications within 2 weeks before screening
you have a history of Kaposi's sarcoma or Multicentric Castleman's Disease and HIV infection

What participation looks like

If you are enrolled, you will receive intramuscular injections of either the personalized vaccine or placebo every 3 weeks for about 27 weeks (approximately 9 doses), plus intravenous infusions of every 6 weeks for up to 2 years. You will not know whether you are receiving the vaccine or placebo — that's part of the study design to ensure fair results. Your participation could last up to approximately 2 years, with regular visits for injections, infusions, imaging scans, and blood tests to monitor how your cancer responds and your overall health.

AI-generated summary from trial data · Jul 6, 2026 · Not medical advice

Testing a personalized cancer vaccine with immunotherapy for advanced skin cancer

What is this trial?

Do you qualify?

What participation looks like

Trial locations