Skip to main content
An official website of the United States government
Government Funding Lapse
Because of a lapse in government funding, the information on this website may not be up to date, transactions submitted via the website may not be processed, and the agency may not be able to respond to inquiries until appropriations are enacted.

The NIH Clinical Center (the research hospital of NIH) is open. For more details about its operating status, please visit cc.nih.gov.

Updates regarding government operating status and resumption of normal operations can be found at opm.gov.

Vaccines (TheraT Vectors) with Carboplatin and Paclitaxel prior to Transoral Robotic Surgery, Radiation Therapy, or Chemoradiation for the Treatment of HPV16 Positive Oropharyngeal Cancer, The TARGET HPV Study

Trial Status: temporarily closed to accrual

This phase I/II trial tests the safety, side effects, best dose, and effectiveness of TheraT vectors (HB-201 and HB-202 vaccines) in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel chemotherapy prior to transoral robotic surgery (TORS), radiation therapy, or chemoradiation in treating patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)16 positive oropharyngeal cancer. HB-201 and HB-202 are vaccines that are made from a gene modified virus that targets specific antigens, such as HPV16, to stimulate the body to build an effective immune response to kill tumor cells. Carboplatin is in a class of medications known as platinum-containing compounds. It works in a way similar to the anticancer drug cisplatin, but may be better tolerated than cisplatin. Carboplatin works by killing, stopping or slowing the growth of cancer cells. Paclitaxel is in a class of medications called antimicrotubule agents. It works by stopping the growth and spread of cancer cells. The combination of cancer vaccines and chemotherapy may increase tumor shrinkage to support subsequent surgery or reduce the amount of radiotherapy and chemotherapy needed that could improve overall outcomes and quality of life.