ClinicalTrials.gov record NCT07022834

Real-world Study of Darafenib or Trametinib and Clofarabine for High-risk/Recurrent/Refractory Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis in Children

Record copied from ClinicalTrials.gov: Oct 10, 2026AI summaries generated: Jul 27, 2026

A Real-world Investigation of the Combination of Darafenib or Trametinib and Clofarabine in the Treatment of High-risk, Recurrent, or Refractory Pediatric Patients With Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis.

StatusRecruitingThe study is currently enrolling participants. Only the study team can say whether a particular person can join.
Study typeInterventionalA study in which researchers assign participants to one or more interventions, such as a drug, procedure, device, behavioural programme or other approach, to measure their effects.
PhasePhase 2A study that tests whether a treatment has the intended effect and continues to check safety, usually in a larger group than phase 1.
AgeUnder 1 month old to 18 years old
SexAll
LocationChina
AI summaryWhat this study is about, in plain languageShow ▾Hide ▴

AI-written from the registry record, not the study's own wording. May contain errors or omissions. Check the registry text on this page and the original record ↗ before acting on it.

This phase 2 study gives children (0–18 years) with high‑risk, recurrent, or refractory Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis a combination of dabrafenib or trametinib plus clofarabine to evaluate outcomes. It is a single‑group, open‑label interventional trial measuring progression‑free survival and response rates while tracking adverse events.

What it is studying. The study tests the combination of dabrafenib or trametinib with clofarabine as a treatment for pediatric high‑risk, recurrent, or refractory LCH, measuring disease control (progression‑free survival and response) and documenting adverse events.

What the researchers hope to learn. Measure progression‑free survival at 24 months; record overall response rates at 3 months; describe the nature and severity of adverse events over 18 months. Collect data on the safety and activity of combining dabrafenib or trametinib with clofarabine in this pediatric LCH population.

What this study is about

The study's own summary, as published on ClinicalTrials.gov. Underlined terms have a short explanation.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is the most common histiocytosis in children, with an incidence of 2.6-8.9 per million. It is an inflammatory myeloid tumor with varied symptoms. Mild cases often resolve spontaneously, while severe cases can affect multiple organs and be life-threatening. LCH affecting the liver, spleen, or hematopoietic system has a poor prognosis and is high-risk group. The LCH-III study showed that low-risk children respond well to prednisone and vinblastine, with nearly 100% survival, but high-risk children's survival is about 80%, with a 30% reactivation rate.Long-term studies reveal that about 50% of patients are resistant to prednisone and vinblastine, leading to progression and recurrence. Except combination of prednisone and vinblastine, cladribine (introduced in 1998) and MAPK inhibitors (introduced in 2014), have lowered the mortality rate of LCH in children. Cladribine, a nucleoside analogue, is used for treating recurrent acute myeloid leukemia in children by disrupting DNA synthesis. In the LCH-98-S regimen, low-risk children with LCH responded well to moderate doses of cladribine, but 44% of high-risk children still faced disease progression. Later studies showed that high-dose cladribine with medium-dose cytarabine increased survival in refractory LCH from 30% to 85%, but also raised chemotherapy toxicity, with some cases experiencing severe hematological toxicity and half of the deaths resulting from chemotherapy complications. Clofarabine, a nucleoside analogue, inhibits ribonucleotide reductase and DNA polymerase, offering stronger anti-tumor effects and fewer side effects than cladribine and fludarabine in treating refractory leukemia. Case reports show that LCH patients unresponsive to cladribine improve with clofarabine treatment at moderate doses (25mg/m2/day). A retrospective study of 58 LCH patients using clofarabine (25mg/m2/day) showed an 87% progression-free survival rate after one year. While the main side effect was grade 3 or higher hematological toxicity, 98.3% of patients tolerated it and completed treatment. Further prospective studies are needed to determine the optimal dose, duration, long-term efficacy, and complications of clofarabine in children with LCH. Research indicates that childhood LCH is often linked to mutations in MAPK pathway genes, with over half of cases involving BRAFV600E mutations. MAPK inhibitors, like vemurafenib, dabrafenib and trametinib, are effective for relapsed and refractory LCH, but they don't eliminate malignant clones, leading to disease reactivation after stopping treatment. Some BRAF-deficient mutation LCH patients resist vemurafenib and dabrafenib, but trametinib can manage the disease in these cases. Activation of the MAPK pathway increases BCL2L1 expression in LCH cells, and rapamycin fails to induce apoptosis in BRAFV600E+ LCH cells, enhancing resistance to cell death. MAPK inhibitors combined with chemotherapy are theoretically more effective at inducing apoptosis in LCH cells and resetting the immune environment to eliminate malignant clones. Two clinical studies confirm their safety and efficacy in treating refractory recurrent LCH. In a follow-up of 10 LCH cases treated with nucleotide analogues and MAPK inhibitors, only 2 patients relapsed after a short treatment duration. Additionally, 19 children with BRAFV600E mutation LCH were treated with cladribine, cytarabine, and vemurafenib, achieving a 100% response rate. Nearly 80% completed treatment without recurrence, and no increase in side effects was observed. Since 2020, our center treated nearly 40 LCH patients with MAPK inhibitors, including 14 combined with LCH-III chemotherapy. Follow-ups show no severe toxic side effects, aligning with literature. However, most high-risk patients, especially those who stopped oral MAPK inhibitors, had disease reactivation. Two high-risk patients with liver involvement achieved complete liver lesion regression with cladribine. This clinical study aims to assess the efficacy and safety of dabrafenib or trametinib and clofarabine for high-risk/recurrent/refractory LCH in children.

Interventions being studied

Being studied in this trial does not mean the treatment or procedure is approved or available for this condition.

Drug
  • Dabrafenib or Trametinib and Clofarabine

Eligibility

The criteria exactly as listed on ClinicalTrials.gov. Only the study team can say whether they apply to you.

Inclusion criteria

  • Children aged 0-18 with LCH (CD1a+/CD207+);
  • Initial LCH diagnosis with hematopoietic, liver, or spleen involvement;
  • LCH patients with disease progression or reactivation after chemotherapy (e.g., prednisone, vincristine, cytarabine, clarithromycin) or targeted therapy;
  • Consent to treatment and follow-up;
  • ECOG score ≥ 2, Lansky score ≥ 50, organ function suitable for chemotherapy.

Exclusion criteria

  • Other underlying diseases (e.g., primary immunodeficiency, heart/kidney failure, hepatitis, HIV, organ transplant);
  • Secondary tumor;
  • Recent chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or MAPK inhibitor use with lingering adverse effects;
  • Ongoing nephrotoxic drug use;
  • Refusal to consent.
  • Exit Criteria:
  • Allergies to dabrafenib or trametinib and clofarabine;
  • Disease progression after 3 months on dabrafenib or trametinib;
  • Severe toxic side effects from clofarabine (grade 4 non-infectious non-hematological toxicity, SIRS, capillary leak syndrome); 4)The doctor recommends halting the current treatment plan for the patient's benefit.

Study description and what participation involves

The registry record has no detailed description beyond the summary above.

AI summaryWhat participation may involve, in plain languageShow ▾Hide ▴

AI-written from the registry record, not the study's own wording. May contain errors or omissions. Check the registry text on this page and the original record ↗ before acting on it.

Participants receive combination drug treatment with dabrafenib (3–5 mg/kg/day) or trametinib (0.025 mg/kg/day) together with clofarabine given as consolidation (25 mg/m2/day days 1–5) and maintenance (25 mg/m2/day days 1–2). They will attend regular clinic visits for drug treatment and monitoring of disease response and side effects, with key assessments noted at about 3 months and monitoring up to 18–24 months. Monitoring will include clinical assessments and laboratory tests to check for toxicity and disease status. Treatment can be stopped if there is severe toxicity or disease progression, per the study's exit rules.

How the study is structured. Phase 2, single‑group interventional trial. Participants receive either dabrafenib or trametinib plus clofarabine according to the study regimen (open‑label, no masking). Primary outcome is measured at 24 months; response and adverse events are assessed at earlier time points.

Questions you could ask

These questions are suggestions for a conversation with the study team or your own clinician, not advice.

  • The listed sites are in China. Is any of them reachable for me, and does the study help with travel?
  • Which of the eligibility criteria would need to be checked with tests before I could join?

More on Langerhans cell histiocytosis

Important dates

Study start
Jun 1, 2025
Primary completion
Jun 1, 2028 (estimated)
Study completion
Jun 1, 2030 (estimated)
Target enrollment
20 participants (estimated)
Last updated on registry
Jun 15, 2025
Data verified
Oct 10, 2026

Sponsor and research team

The lead sponsor funds and oversees the trial. A pharmaceutical or biotech company sponsor typically means the study is testing that company's drug or device; a hospital, university, or government agency usually indicates investigator-initiated or publicly funded research.

Lead sponsor
West China Second University Hospital
Principal investigator
Ju Gao, Professor
West China Second University Hospital

Central study contact

If you're interested in participating, the central contact can answer general questions about the study — including eligibility requirements and how to find a recruiting site near you. Actual eligibility is determined by the site's medical team.

Participating sites (1)

  • Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, ChinaRecruiting

    Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041 · China

Terms used on this page · explanations by MedicalUpdates.ai

prednisone
Steroid medicines, such as prednisone, that reduce inflammation. Studies often require a stable dose at entry or measure whether the study treatment allows the dose to be reduced.
refractory
A condition that has not responded to a treatment. 'Relapsed' means it responded and then came back; 'refractory' means it did not respond in the first place.
progression-free survival
The length of time during and after treatment that a person lives without the condition getting worse, as defined by the study.
relapsed
A condition that improved with treatment and has since returned or worsened.
follow-up
The period after treatment or enrolment during which participants are observed or contacted, for example to record side effects or outcomes.
ECOG score
A scale from 0 to 5 that describes how a person's condition affects daily activity. 0 means fully active; 1 means restricted in strenuous activity; 2 means able to self-care but unable to work; higher numbers mean more limitation.
Inclusion Criteria
The conditions a person must meet to be considered for the study, for example a confirmed diagnosis, an age range or a test result.
Exclusion Criteria
The conditions that rule a person out even if they meet the inclusion criteria, for example other illnesses, certain medicines or pregnancy.

The study record on this page is reproduced from ClinicalTrials.gov, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, where it was submitted by the study sponsor. MedicalUpdates.ai does not own this content, is not affiliated with or endorsed by ClinicalTrials.gov, NIH, or the U.S. Government, and does not verify the record. Plain-language notes, the glossary and the questions above are added by this site; text in the boxes marked "AI summary" was written by an AI model and may contain errors. Registry records change over time. Check the original record for the current version and discuss eligibility or participation with a qualified healthcare professional.

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