Clinical trials
Refractory clinical trials
Below are recruiting refractory clinical trials, each written for real people, not researchers. We’re tracking 1,200 recruiting studies, each written for real people, not researchers, below.
Recruiting studies
- NCT05400603RecruitingPhase 1
Immunotherapy trial for relapsed neuroblastoma or osteosarcoma
This Phase 1 study tests lab-made donor immune cells (gamma delta T cells) plus chemotherapy to treat neuroblastoma or osteosarcoma that has come back or hasn’t responded to standard treatment. It’s designed to find a safe way to give this treatment and to see how well it might work.
Atlanta, GeorgiaAges 1 year+ - NCT05053971RecruitingPhase 1/Phase 2
Entinostat plus ZEN003694 for advanced solid tumors
This Phase 1/2 study tests a new combination anti-cancer treatment (entinostat plus ZEN003694) in people with advanced solid tumors that can’t be controlled with standard care. It aims to find a safe dose and see whether the treatment can shrink tumors or control the disease.
New Haven, ConnecticutAges 18 years+ - NCT04941716RecruitingPhase 2
Acalabrutinib plus venetoclax for hard-to-treat CLL/SLL
This Phase 2 trial studies whether combining acalabrutinib and venetoclax can shrink or control chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) that has come back or did not respond to prior treatment. It may help by attacking the cancer using two different medicines together.
Seattle, WashingtonAges 18 years+ - NCT04848064RecruitingPhase 1
Natural killer cells plus mogamulizumab for skin lymphoma
This early-phase study tests a combination of “natural killer” immune cells and a medicine called mogamulizumab to treat certain skin lymphomas that have come back or did not respond. It may help your immune system better find and attack cancer cells.
Columbus, OhioAges 18 years+ - NCT04616560RecruitingPhase 2
New drug for recurrent Wilms tumor, osteosarcoma, and DSRCT
This trial tests a targeted drug called trastuzumab deruxtecan for children and young adults with certain cancers that have come back or not responded to treatment. It may help if your tumor has not responded to standard therapies.
Birmingham, AlabamaAges 12–39 - NCT04414475RecruitingPhase 2
Selinexor plus low-dose steroid for hard-to-treat myeloma
This Phase 2 trial tests selinexor (a targeted anti-cancer medicine) plus low-dose dexamethasone to treat multiple myeloma that has not responded to many prior treatments. It compares selinexor combinations depending on what medicines you’ve already had, aiming to reduce myeloma activity and improve outcomes.
Pátrai, AchaiaAges 18 years+ - NCT04169737RecruitingPhase 2
Acalabrutinib and venetoclax for high-risk CLL or SLL
This trial tests whether acalabrutinib and venetoclax (with or without early obinutuzumab) can control chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). It is mainly for people whose disease is high-risk, has come back, or did not respond to earlier treatment.
Houston, TexasAges 18 years+ - NCT04047641RecruitingPhase 1/Phase 2
Quizartinib with chemotherapy for new or returning leukemia
This trial tests a combination of anti-leukemia drugs (including quizartinib) together with chemotherapy for people with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a rare mixed-type leukemia, or high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). It may help by trying to better control cancer in people whose disease is newly diagnosed or has returned/not responded to prior treatment.
Houston, TexasAges 18 years+ - NCT04140487RecruitingPhase 1/Phase 2
Study drugs for certain FLT3-mutated blood cancers that have returned
This trial tests a combination of three medicines—azacitidine, venetoclax, and gilteritinib—in people with specific gene changes (FLT3 mutations) in leukemia and related bone marrow diseases that have come back or are hard to treat. The goal is to see if this drug combination can control the disease and improve outcomes.
Houston, TexasAges 18 years+ - NCT03896269RecruitingPhase 1
CPX-351 for high-risk MDS or CMML that came back
This Phase 1 trial studies CPX-351, a cancer medicine, in people with high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) or chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) whose disease relapsed or did not respond to prior treatment. It may help shrink or control the leukemia and improve blood counts in patients who cannot or do not want a stem cell transplant.
Houston, TexasAges 18 years+ - NCT03874052RecruitingPhase 1
Ruxolitinib plus venetoclax and azacitidine for relapsed AML
This early-phase study tests a combination of ruxolitinib with venetoclax, with or without azacitidine, for adults whose acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has come back or does not respond to treatment. It may help by stopping cancer cells from growing and improving blood counts, with the exact plan guided by the study arm you’re assigned to.
Columbus, OhioAges 18 years+ - NCT03630991RecruitingPhase 1
Calcium chelator medicine for AML or MDS during chemotherapy
This Phase 1 study tests whether edetate calcium disodium (also called succimer) can be safely given to people with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) while they are on chemotherapy. The goal is to learn the safest dose and whether it has signs of helping the blood cancer respond to treatment.
Houston, TexasAges 1 year+ - NCT03328078RecruitingPhase 1/Phase 2
Emavusertib for recurrent brain lymphoma after prior treatment
This Phase 1/2 trial tests emavusertib (a targeted medicine) in adults with primary central nervous system lymphoma that has come back or not responded to treatment. It’s designed to find safe dosing and see how well the treatment can control the lymphoma in the brain/spinal fluid.
Phoenix, ArizonaAges 18 years+ - NCT03418038RecruitingPhase 2
Vitamin C with chemotherapy for lymphoma and blood disorders
This trial tests whether adding high-dose vitamin C (ascorbic acid) to standard chemotherapy helps treat lymphomas that have come back or not responded, as well as two related blood disorders (CCUS and CMML). The goal is to see if the vitamin C makes the chemo work better.
Mankato, MinnesotaAges 18 years+ - NCT03128034RecruitingPhase 1/Phase 2
Astatine-211 treatment before stem cell transplant for high-risk blood cancers
This trial tests a targeted radiation drug (Astatine-211) given before a donor stem cell transplant for people with high-risk leukemia or certain bone-marrow cancers. The goal is to better control the cancer before the transplant.
Seattle, WashingtonAges 18–75 - NCT07437963RecruitingPhase 1/Phase 2
Iberdomide plus chemoimmunotherapy for neuroblastoma that returned or did not respond
This trial tests adding a new drug called iberdomide to an existing chemoimmunotherapy regimen for children and young adults with neuroblastoma that has come back or not responded to treatment. The goal is to see if the combination is safe and more effective than current treatments.
Oakland, CaliforniaAges 1–30 - NCT07509034RecruitingPhase 1
Targeted immune cells for recurrent small cell lung cancer
This trial tests a special immune cell therapy (CAR T cells) that targets a protein called B7-H3 on your cancer cells. It is for people with small cell lung cancer or similar neuroendocrine cancers that have returned or not responded to standard treatments.
Bethesda, MarylandAges 18–120 - NCT07133997RecruitingPhase 1
Combination therapy for relapsed CD19+ B-cell leukemia
This trial tests a new combination of three drugs for patients with relapsed or treatment-resistant CD19-positive B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It aims to see if adding the drugs venetoclax and asparaginase to blinatumomab can improve outcomes.
Duarte, CaliforniaAges 12–55 - NCT05493722RecruitingEarly Phase 1
Adjusting deep brain stimulator settings for hard-to-control seizures
This early-phase study tests whether changing your deep brain stimulator settings can improve seizure control in people whose epilepsy is not helped by usual treatments. It is mainly for patients who already have the stimulator placed.
Minneapolis, MinnesotaAges 18 years+ - NCT06948084RecruitingPhase 2
New drug combo vs usual care for high-risk multiple myeloma
This trial tests whether a new combination of drugs (daratumumab and teclistamab) works better than the usual treatments for multiple myeloma that has come back or stopped responding, especially in people with a high-risk form of the disease. Participants will be randomly assigned to get either the new combo or one of the standard combos.
Coeur d'Alene, IdahoAges 18 years+ - NCT07672483RecruitingPhase 1
Gene therapy for solid tumors that returned after treatment
This trial tests a new type of gene therapy that uses your own immune cells (called myeloid cells) engineered to produce a protein (IL-12) to fight your cancer. It is for people with solid tumors that have not responded to standard treatments.
Bethesda, MarylandAges 18–120 - NCT04510051RecruitingPhase 1
CAR T cell therapy for IL13Rα2 positive pediatric brain tumors
This Phase 1 study tests a type of immune therapy (CAR T cells) for children with brain tumors that come back or do not respond to standard treatment. The cells are given after chemotherapy that temporarily lowers the body’s immune system, which may help the CAR T cells work better.
Duarte, CaliforniaAges 4–25 - NCT04283006RecruitingEarly Phase 1
CAR T-cell treatment for hard-to-treat B-cell blood cancers
This early-phase trial tests a special kind of immune cell treatment (CAR T cells) that targets CD20 and CD22 in people with relapsed or refractory B-cell cancers. It may help by attacking cancer cells that survived prior treatments, but it is still being studied for safety and early effectiveness.
Hangzhou, ZhejiangAges 3–70 - NCT04637711Recruiting
Surgery for stubborn granulomatous breast inflammation
This study looks at surgical treatment for granulomatous lobular mastitis that has not been improving with non-surgical care. It may help people with more widespread or complicated breast inflammation, especially when there are abscesses or skin breakdown.
Wuhan, HubeiAges 18–60
Hear when a new Refractory trial opens
We’ll email you when one opens — at most once a week, no account needed, unsubscribe anytime.
Common questions
- Are there clinical trials for refractory?
- Yes. Clin2 currently lists 1,200 recruiting refractory studies from the U.S. registry, each rewritten for real people, not researchers, so you can see what it’s testing and who it’s for.
- How do I know if I qualify for a refractory trial?
- Each study lists its eligibility criteria — rules about age, diagnosis, and prior treatments. On every Clin2 trial page we explain these in words written for real people and offer a short, optional pre-screen for a fit read. The study team makes the final decision.
- Does it cost anything to join a refractory trial?
- Using Clin2 is always free. Many trials cover the cost of the study treatment and related visits; some reimburse travel. The study team explains exactly what’s covered before you decide.
Related conditions
Clin2 helps you find and understand clinical trials and does not provide medical advice. Study data comes from ClinicalTrials.gov. Talk with your doctor about whether a specific trial is right for you.