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RecruitingLast updated: 2 June 2026

BEACON2: Studying new treatment combinations for children with relapsed neuroblastomaA Multi-Arm, Multi-Stage Platform Trial For Relapsed Neuroblastoma

Trial purpose

Medical clipboardCancer treatment

Tumor type

Brain and Spinal Cancers Brain and Spinal

Age

People1+

Trial acronym

BEACON2

Clinical summary

Summary

Neuroblastoma is one of the more common solid tumours in children and young adults. Some cases are considered high-risk, meaning the cancer is harder to treat. In these children, the cancer may not respond to standard treatment (refractory) or come back after treatment (relapsed). Because of this, new and better treatments are still needed.

The BEACON2 trial is studying new combinations of medicines to improve outcomes for children with relapsed neuroblastoma.

The main goals are to:

  • Improve how long children live after their cancer comes back
  • Test new combinations of treatments
  • Check how safe these treatments are and how well they work
  • Understand how treatment affects children's quality of life
  • Learn more about the biology of neuroblastoma to help develop targeted treatments in the future

How the study works
The BEACON2 study has two parts, called tiers.

Tier 1 is the main part of the study and will initially have two treatment arms. Children will be randomly assigned (by chance) to receive one of the following treatments:

  • Arm A: Dinutuximab beta immunotherapy, plus irinotecan and temozolomide chemotherapy.
  • Arm B: Bevacizumab targeted therapy, plus irinotecan and temozolomide chemotherapy.

Treatment will be given every 3 weeks, for up to 12 cycles.

In Tier 2 newer or more experimental combinations will be evaluated to check the safest and most effective dose. These have potential to move to Tier 1.

  • Arm C: Dinutuximab immunotherapy, bevacizumab targeted therapy and irinotecan and temozolomide chemotherapy.

Who can take part?
Children aged 1 year or older who are diagnosed with relapsed neuroblastoma are eligible to take part. Around 160 children are expected to take part overall.

The study is expected to recruit patients for 3 years, and then finish patient follow-up after an additional 5 years.

What samples will be collected?
As part of standard care, children with relapsed neuroblastoma usually already have:

  • A tumour sample from when they were first diagnosed
  • Blood tests during treatment
  • Bone marrow tests to confirm relapse

In this study, researchers will also collected extra samples at the same time to better understand how neuroblastoma works, see how treatments affect the cancer, and help develop more personalised treatments in the future.

Conditions

This trial is treating people with high-risk relapsed neuroblastoma

Eligibility

Inclusion

  • Disease specific

    • Histologically proven neuroblastoma as per International Neuroblastoma Staging System (INSS)[1] definition
    • High risk relapsed neuroblastoma (relapsed or progressed after being defined as High Risk at any time following diagnosis or progressed/relapsed as high-risk neuroblastoma)
    • Measurable disease by cross sectional imaging or evaluable disease (uptake on MIBG scan with or without bone marrow histology), as per INRC [2, 3]. Participants with only bone marrow detectable disease (bone marrow aspirate or trephine) are NOT eligible for the study General
    • Age ≥1 year
    • Signed informed consent from participant, parent or guardian Performance and organ function
    • Performance Status

      o Lansky (for patients ≤12 years of age) or Karnofsky (for those >12) ≥ 50%, (Participants who are unable to walk because of paralysis, but who are able to sit upright unassisted in a wheelchair, will be considered ambulatory for the purpose of assessing performance score)

    • Life expectancy of ≥12 weeks
    • Bone marrow function (within 72 hours prior to randomisation):

      • Platelets ≥ 50 x 109/L (unsupported for 72 hours)
      • ANC ≥ 0.50 x 109/L (no G-CSF support for 72 hours)
      • Haemoglobin > 8 g/dL (transfusions allowed)
    • Renal function (within 72 hours prior to randomisation):

      • Absence of clinically significant proteinuria (either early morning urine dipstick ≤ 2+) or if dipstick urinalysis shows > 2+ proteinuria, protein: creatinine (Pr/Cr) ratio must be < 0.5 or a 24 hour protein excretion must be < 0.5g
      • Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 ULN for age, if higher, a measured GFR (radioisotope or 24 hour urine calculated creatinine clearance) must be ≥ 60 ml/min/1.73 m2
    • Liver function (within 72 hours prior to randomisation):

      o Absence of clinically significant signs of liver dysfunction. AST or ALT ≤ 3.0 ULN and total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 ULN. In patients with liver metastases, AST or ALT ≤ 5 ULN and total bilirubin ≤ 2.5 ULN is allowed.

    • Coagulation:

      • Participants must not have an active uncontrolled coagulopathy.
      • Anticoagulation is permitted as long as the INR or APTT is within therapeutic limits (according to the medical standard of the institution) and the participant has been on a stable dose of anticoagulants for at least two weeks at the time of study enrolment.
    • Blood pressure below 95th centile for age and sex. Participants ≥18 years of age should have a blood pressure ≤150/90 mmHg (within 72 hours prior to randomisation). Use of antihypertensive medication is permitted.

Tier 2 Specific Inclusion Criteria

• More than one relapse event or ineligible for Tier 1.

NB- The following previous treatments are allowed provided that the principal investigator expects a favourable benefit/risk assessment (e.g. patients could derive potential benefit from the Tier 2 combination):

  • bevacizumab,
  • any anti-GD2 antibody given with chemotherapy ('chemo-immunotherapy')
  • previous treatment with temozolomide with irinotecan

Exclusion

  • • Known contraindication or hypersensitivity to:

    • Any study drug or component of the formulation
    • Chinese hamster ovary products or other recombinant human or humanised antibodies.
    • Participants with mild previous hypersensitivity reactions to anti-GD2 antibodies may be included, but those with severe (or G4) hypersensitivity reactions to anti-GD2 antibodies will be excluded.

      • Clinically significant neurological toxicity, uncontrolled seizures or objective peripheral neuropathy (> grade 2). (Unresolved neurological deficits from previous spinal cord compression or surgeries are acceptable). Participants with previous ≥ Grade 3 motor neurotoxicity secondary to anti-GD2 are excluded, even if recovered
      • Prior severe arterial thrombo-embolic events (e.g. cardiac ischemia, cerebral vascular accident, peripheral arterial thrombosis) or any ongoing arterial thrombo-embolic events
      • A history of (noninfectious) pneumonitis requiring steroids, or current pneumonitis.
      • Patients that are allergic to all therapies for Pnemocystis jirovecii pneumonia and can thus not receive prophylaxis for PJP
      • Uncontrolled infection
      • Inadequate recovery from prior surgery with ongoing ≥ Grade 3 surgical complications. Grade ≥ 2 wound dehiscence.
      • Recent surgical procedures (at start of trial treatment). Patient can be randomised up to 48hr prior to these periods being completed provided that trial treatment only starts after complying with all of them:
    • Core biopsies within previous 24hr
    • Open excisional biopsies within previous 48hr
    • Major surgery within previous 2 weeks
    • Bone marrow aspirates/trephines, within previous 48hr
    • Tunnelled central line insertion within previous 48hr

      • Washout from prior treatments (at start of trial treatment):

    • Chemotherapy within previous 2 weeks (1 week for oral metronomic chemotherapy regimens)
    • Any anti-GD2 therapy within previous 2 weeks
    • Craniospinal radiotherapy or MIBG therapy within previous 6 weeks
    • Radiotherapy to the tumour bed within previous 2 weeks (no washout for palliative radiotherapy)
    • Myeloablative therapy with haematopoietic stem cell rescue (autologous stem cell transplant) within previous 8 weeks
    • Allogeneic stem cell transplant within previous 12 weeks (with absence of active ≥ G2 acute GVHD)
    • 14 days or 5 half-lives (whichever occurs later) from last administration of an IMP in an IMP-trial

      • Bleeding metastases (participants with CNS metastases can be enrolled as long as the metastases are not bleeding). At least 6 months from any ≥ G3 haemoptysis or pulmonary haemorrhage
      • Use of enzyme inducing anticonvulsants within 72hr of start of trial treatment
      • Conditions that increase the risk of bevacizumab-related toxicities:
    • History or evidence of inherited bleeding diathesis or significant coagulopathy at risk of bleeding (i.e. in the absence of therapeutic anticoagulation)
    • History of abdominal fistula, gastrointestinal perforation, intra-abdominal abscess or active gastrointestinal bleeding within 6 months prior to study enrolment
    • Current chronic intestinal inflammatory disease/bowel obstruction

      • Intolerance to galactose and fructose, lactase deficiency, and/or defect of absorption of galactose and fructose
      • Males or females of reproductive potential may not participate unless they agree to use a highly effective method of birth control, i.e. with a failure rate of less than 1% per year, (e.g. implants, injectables, combined oral contraceptives, IUDs, sexual abstinence or vasectomised partner), for the duration of study therapy and for up to 6 months after the last dose of trial drugs. A negative urine or serum pregnancy test must be obtained within 72 hours prior to dosing in females who are post-menarche.
      • Pregnant or lactating participant
      • Live or live-attenuated vaccines given within previous 28 days prior to study enrolment
      • Any uncontrolled medical condition that poses an additional risk to the participant

Tier 1 Specific Exclusion Criteria

  • More than one relapse/progression event after the start of high risk neuroblastoma therapy
  • Previous treatments that are not allowed

    • Bevacizumab for relapsed neuroblastoma. Patients who have received BIT for refractory disease are not excluded, providing no progression of disease during this treatment occurred
    • Treatment with any anti-GD2 antibody given with chemotherapy ('chemo-immunotherapy') for treatment of relapsed neuroblastoma. Prior treatment with chemo-immunotherapy for refractory disease is allowed, provided no disease progression during this therapy.

Inclusion

  • You have had treatment, but your cancer has come back (relapsed or recurrent).
  • You have had treatment but your cancer has gotten worse or has not responded to the treatment you have been given.

Exclusion

  • You have certain types of non-cancer medical conditions.
  • You have had certain treatments, surgical procedures or drugs.
Message

Clinical trials have complex eligibility criteria, and other criteria may apply for this trial. Ask your doctor about whether this trial could be right for you.

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Trial Identifiers

Information on this page is partially produced from ClinicalTrials.gov *. View further details about this trial on the registry via the links below:

Trial sponsor

University of Birmingham

Scientific Title

A Multi-Arm, Multi-Stage Platform Trial For Relapsed Neuroblastoma

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