Adding Biotherapy or Placebo to Standard Treatment for Advanced Kidney Cancer
Phase III Double Blinded Trial of Immune-Based Therapy With a Live Biotherapeutic MO-03 or Placebo for Frontline Therapy of Advanced Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma [BioFront Trial]
3 other identifiers
interventional
718
1 country
41
Brief Summary
This phase III trial compares the effect of adding live biotherapy, MO-03, to standard of care (SOC) immunotherapy, including ipilimumab, nivolumab, axitinib, pembrolizumab, cabozantinib, and lenvatinib, to SOC immunotherapy alone in treating patients with clear cell renal cell cancer that may have spread from where it first started (primary site) to nearby tissue, lymph nodes, or distant parts of the body (advanced) or that has spread from where it first started to other places in the body (metastatic). Studies have shown that gut health (the gut microbiome) may impact the effectiveness of immunotherapy. The microbiome includes all of the bacteria and organisms naturally found in the digestive tract. MO-03, a type of biotherapy, contains material from living organisms that may help keep the digestive tract healthy and may help to increase the effect of immunotherapy. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as ipilimumab, nivolumab, pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the tumor, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Axitinib, cabozantinib, and lenvatinib are a type of angiogenesis inhibitor and tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that block certain proteins which may help keep tumor cells from growing and may also help prevent the growth of new blood vessels that tumors need to grow. Adding MO-03 to SOC immunotherapy may be more effective than SOC immunotherapy alone in treating patients with advanced or metastatic clear cell renal cell cancer.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P75+ for phase_3
Started Jun 2026
Longer than P75 for phase_3
41 active sites
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
Click on a node to explore related trials.
Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
First Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
January 26, 2026
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
February 3, 2026
CompletedStudy Start
First participant enrolled
June 5, 2026
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
January 31, 2033
ExpectedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
January 31, 2034
June 11, 2026
June 1, 2026
6.7 years
January 26, 2026
June 9, 2026
Conditions
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (1)
Progression-free survival (PFS)
A Cox model will be used to test the treatment hazard ratio with stratification factors in the model as covariates for the futility and efficacy interim analyses and the final analysis.
From date of randomization to date of first documentation of progression, or death due to any cause, assessed up to 5 years
Secondary Outcomes (4)
Incidence of adverse events (AEs) (Safety run-in)
During the first 12 weeks (2 cycles [cycle length =42 days])
Overall survival
From date of randomization to date of death due to any cause, assessed up to 5 years
PFS rates between the study arms
At 12 and 24 months
Incidence of AEs between study arms
Up to 90 days after last dose of study treatment
Study Arms (2)
Arm 1 (MO-03, SOC immunotherapy)
EXPERIMENTALSee Detailed Description
Arm 2 (placebo, SOC immunotherapy)
PLACEBO COMPARATORSee Detailed Description
Interventions
Given PO
Undergo blood sample collection
Undergo bone scan
Undergo CT
Given IV
Given PO
Undergo MRI
Given IV
Given IV
Given PO
Given SC
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- Participants must have histologically confirmed renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with clear cell component that is advanced (not amenable to curative surgery or radiation therapy) or metastatic RCC at the time of registration on study
- Participants must have measurable/evaluable disease by RECIST 1.1 criteria. Participants with only bone metastases or only pleural effusions are considered evaluable disease and are eligible
- Participants with new or progressive brain metastases (active brain metastases) or leptomeningeal disease must not require immediate central nervous system (CNS) specific treatment at the time of study registration or anticipated treatment during the first cycle of therapy
- Participants must not be currently enrolled or plan to participate in treatment studies while enrolled on this study
- Participants must not plan to take any over the counter probiotic supplements at time of study registration and while on protocol treatment
- NOTE: Vitamin and electrolyte or mineral supplements are permitted
- Participants must not have had prior systemic therapy for advanced or metastatic RCC or any treatment with immune based combination therapy
- NOTE: Participants can have prior neo/adjuvant treatment with an anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1, and/or anti-CTLA-4 antibody or other therapies for any current or prior malignancy if \> 12 months prior to registration
- Participants must not be receiving steroid replacement therapy for adrenal insufficiency greater than 50 mg daily of hydrocortisone or prednisone equivalent dose at the time of registration
- Participants must not require the use of systemic corticosteroids \> 10 mg/day of prednisone or its equivalent for any reason other than replacement therapy for adrenal insufficiency
- Participants must not have received any systemic antibiotics within 7 days prior to registration
- NOTE: Uncontrolled infections must be completely resolved
- Participants must be ≥ 18 years old at the time of registration
- Participants must have a Zubrod performance status 0-2 within 28 days of registration
- Participants must be able to safely receive at least one of the standard of care regimens, per the current Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved package inserts, treating investigator's discretion, and institutional guidelines
- +23 more criteria
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
- SWOG Cancer Research Networklead
- National Cancer Institute (NCI)collaborator
Study Sites (41)
Highlands Oncology Group - Fayetteville
Fayetteville, Arkansas, 72703, United States
NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital and Fowler Family Cancer Center - Jonesboro
Jonesboro, Arkansas, 72401, United States
Highlands Oncology Group - Rogers
Rogers, Arkansas, 72758, United States
Highlands Oncology Group
Springdale, Arkansas, 72762, United States
Illinois CancerCare-Bloomington
Bloomington, Illinois, 61704, United States
Illinois CancerCare-Canton
Canton, Illinois, 61520, United States
Illinois CancerCare-Carthage
Carthage, Illinois, 62321, United States
Cancer Care Specialists of Illinois - Decatur
Decatur, Illinois, 62526, United States
Decatur Memorial Hospital
Decatur, Illinois, 62526, United States
Illinois CancerCare-Eureka
Eureka, Illinois, 61530, United States
Illinois CancerCare-Galesburg
Galesburg, Illinois, 61401, United States
Illinois CancerCare-Kewanee Clinic
Kewanee, Illinois, 61443, United States
Illinois CancerCare-Macomb
Macomb, Illinois, 61455, United States
Illinois CancerCare-Ottawa Clinic
Ottawa, Illinois, 61350, United States
Illinois CancerCare-Pekin
Pekin, Illinois, 61554, United States
Illinois CancerCare-Peoria
Peoria, Illinois, 61615, United States
Illinois CancerCare-Peru
Peru, Illinois, 61354, United States
Illinois CancerCare-Princeton
Princeton, Illinois, 61356, United States
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
Springfield, Illinois, 62702, United States
Illinois CancerCare - Washington
Washington, Illinois, 61571, United States
Mercy Hospital
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 52403, United States
Oncology Associates at Mercy Medical Center
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 52403, United States
Lahey Hospital and Medical Center
Burlington, Massachusetts, 01805, United States
Lahey Medical Center-Peabody
Peabody, Massachusetts, 01960, United States
Trinity Health IHA Medical Group Hematology Oncology - Brighton
Brighton, Michigan, 48114, United States
Trinity Health IHA Medical Group Hematology Oncology - Canton
Canton, Michigan, 48188, United States
Trinity Health IHA Medical Group Hematology Oncology - Chelsea Hospital
Chelsea, Michigan, 48118, United States
Trinity Health Saint Mary Mercy Livonia Hospital
Livonia, Michigan, 48154, United States
Trinity Health IHA Medical Group Hematology Oncology Ann Arbor Campus
Ypsilanti, Michigan, 48197, United States
Baptist Memorial Hospital and Cancer Center-Golden Triangle
Columbus, Mississippi, 39705, United States
Baptist Cancer Center-Grenada
Grenada, Mississippi, 38901, United States
Baptist Memorial Hospital and Cancer Center-Union County
New Albany, Mississippi, 38652, United States
Baptist Memorial Hospital and Cancer Center-Oxford
Oxford, Mississippi, 38655, United States
Baptist Memorial Hospital and Cancer Center-Desoto
Southhaven, Mississippi, 38671, United States
Saint Francis Medical Center
Cape Girardeau, Missouri, 63703, United States
Parkland Health Center - Farmington
Farmington, Missouri, 63640, United States
Sainte Genevieve County Memorial Hospital
Sainte Genevieve, Missouri, 63670, United States
Missouri Baptist Medical Center
St Louis, Missouri, 63131, United States
Missouri Baptist Sullivan Hospital
Sullivan, Missouri, 63080, United States
Baptist Memorial Hospital and Cancer Center-Collierville
Collierville, Tennessee, 38017, United States
Baptist Memorial Hospital and Cancer Center-Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee, 38120, United States
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Interventions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Study Officials
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Pedro Barata
SWOG Cancer Research Network
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- phase 3
- Allocation
- RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- DOUBLE
- Who Masked
- PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER
- Masking Details
- Double blinded trial
- Purpose
- TREATMENT
- Intervention Model
- PARALLEL
- Sponsor Type
- NETWORK
- Responsible Party
- SPONSOR
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
January 26, 2026
First Posted
February 3, 2026
Study Start
June 5, 2026
Primary Completion (Estimated)
January 31, 2033
Study Completion (Estimated)
January 31, 2034
Last Updated
June 11, 2026
Record last verified: 2026-06