Clinical trials are the foundation of medical progress, driving the discovery of new treatments and improving patient outcomes. Highlands Oncology has been actively involved in clinical research for more than 26 years, conducting numerous studies in both oncology and hematology. Through these trials, new experimental medications—or innovative ways of using existing therapies—are compared to current standards of care. This process helps advance cancer treatment for patients locally and around the world. Each clinical trial follows strict eligibility criteria designed to ensure patient safety. Clinical trials typically progress through four phases of development:
Phase I: Determines safe dosage levels and evaluates safety
Phase II: Further assesses safety and begins to evaluate effectiveness
Phase III: Compares the new therapy to standard treatments
Phase IV: Studies the long-term safety and effectiveness of FDA-approved treatments
Highlands Oncology is proud to be the only community-based Phase I oncology clinical trial center in Arkansas, offering patients access to the newest and most innovative cancer therapies close to home.
Cancer research is constantly evolving, and new treatments emerge every year. Our Research Department ensures that Highlands Oncology remains at the forefront of medical innovation through continued participation in clinical trials. We are committed to providing every patient with as many treatment options as possible. Only you and your physician can decide if a clinical trial is right for you. To explore our currently enrolling studies, please visit our Clinical Trials page. For more information about clinical trials in general, visit clinicaltrials.gov.
J. Thaddeus Beck, Research Medical Director
Dr. Thad Beck expressed his desire to be involved in cancer clinical trials from the beginning of his career. His intellectual curiosity and desire to make a difference in patient outcomes have been a driving force in everything he does. As a founding member of Highlands Oncology, Dr. Beck sought to change the face of oncology in our community so that patients did not have to leave their hometown to receive cutting-edge cancer care.
Fortunately, Dr. Beck was persuaded to bring this energy and dream to Northwest Arkansas, where, as Medical Director he created from the ground up, one of the largest and most successful community-based clinical trial programs in the country. At any given time, he oversees over 140 active clinical trials, 30 providers, and over 50 clinical trials staff.
Even with this load, Dr. Beck still takes the time to sit with his patients, draw up a plan, and ensure that they understand and are prepared for the journey ahead.
He uses his exceptional expertise and years of experience to hand pick clinical trials he believes will be relevant and helpful for the patients in this community.
Frequently we have patients who will consider other large institutions or academic centers looking for an innovative clinical trial only to be redirected back home to Highlands where we have the exact same trial. This is a testament to the proficiency and expertise of Dr. Beck and his team.
Dr. Beck cares for his research team like he cares for his patients. He is always eager to answer questions about patients, oncology protocols, and treatments. He loves to teach those who enjoy learning to help them understand the significance of these trials in the future of oncology patient care.
Today, patients in Northwest Arkansas can participate in first-line clinical trials. Additionally, Highlands receives patients from around the world who travel here to participate in clinical trials where Phase I – III therapies are available.
“Such a pleasant experience. I would give all of them 100 stars.”
HIGHLANDS PATIENT
Contact Clinical trials
For questions or more information, please contact our Clinical Trials Team:
Eli Lilly I3Y-MC-JPEG: CYCLONE 3: A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of Abemaciclib in Combination With Abiraterone Plus Prednisone in Men With High-Risk Metastatic Hormone-Sensitive Prostate Cancer
PROSTATE
07/26/2022
Bristol-Myers Squibb CA027-002: A Phase 1/2 Study of BMS-986253 in Combination With Nivolumab or Nivolumab Plus Ipilimumab in Advanced Cancers
MELANOMA
10/24/2022
Stemline/MEN2501-01/A Phase 1, First-in-Human Study of MEN2501, a KIF18A Inhibitor, in Participants with Ovarian Cancer
OTHER
11/12/2025
Eli Lilly/J6M-MC-JSGD/A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study of LY4064809 Combined with a CDK4/6 inhibitor and Endocrine Therapy in Adults with HR+, HER2- Advanced Breast Cancer with a PIK3CA Mutation who received no prior treatment for Advanced Breast Cancer (PIKALO-2)
BREAST
11/11/2025
BioNTech/BNT327-05/
BREAST
11/12/2025
AstraZeneca / D9723C00001 / A Randomized, 2-cohort, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Phase III Study of AZD5305 in Combination with Physician’s Choice New Hormonal Agents in Patients with HRRm and non-HRRm Metastatic Castration-Sensitive Prostate Cancer (EvoPAR-Prostate01)
PROSTATE
12/15/2023
Lantern Pharma / LTRN184-1AST23-1 / A PHASE 1A DOSE ESCALATION STUDY OF LP-184 IN PATIENTS WITH ADVANCED OR METASTATIC SOLID TUMORS
SOLID TUMORS
12/28/2023
AstraZeneca D926XC00001 – A Phase 3 Open-label, Randomised Study of Datopotamab Deruxtecan (DatoDXd) With or Without Durvalumab Versus Investigator’s Choice of Therapy in Patients With Stage I-III Triple-negative Breast Cancer Who Have Residual Invasive Disease in the Breast and/or Axillary Lymph Nodes at Surgical Resection Following Neoadjuvant Systemic Therapy (TROPION-Breast03)
BREAST
02/15/2023
Stemline STML-ELA-0322 – ELACESTRANT in Women and Men With CDK4/6 Inhibitor-Naive Estrogen Receptor Positive, HER-2 Negative Metastatic Breast Cancer: An Open-Label Multicenter Phase 2 Study (ELCIN)
BREAST
07/26/2023
Stemline STML-ELA-0222 – A Phase 1b/2, Open-Label Umbrella Study To Evaluate Safety And Efficacy Of Elacestrant In Various Combination In Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer
BREAST
07/27/2023
Ultimovacs UV1-202: A Randomized Phase II, Open-Label, Active-Controlled, Multicenter Study Investigating the Efficacy and Safety of UV1 Vaccination in Combination with Nivolumab and Ipilimumab as First-Line Treatment of Patients with Unresectable or Metastatic Melanoma
MELANOMA
05/28/2020
AstraZeneca D926NC00001 Study of Datopotamab Deruxtecan (Dato-DXd) in Combination With Durvalumab and Carboplatin for First-Line Treatment of Patients With Advanced NSCLC Without Actionable Genomic Alterations (AVANZAR)
LUNG - Non Small Cell Cancer (NSCLC)
05/25/2023
Pfizer C4901001: A PHASE 1A/B OPEN-LABEL MASTER STUDY OF PF-07799544 AS A SINGLE-AGENT AND IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER TARGETED AGENTS IN PARTICIPANTS WITH ADVANCED SOLID TUMORS
SOLID TUMORS
11/11/2022
Shanghai Henlius Biotech HLX10-005-SCLC301-E: A PHASE 1A/B OPEN-LABEL MASTER STUDY OF PF-07799544 AS A SINGLE-AGENT AND IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER TARGETED AGENTS IN PARTICIPANTS WITH ADVANCED SOLID TUMORS
LUNG - Small Cell Cancer (SCLC)
12/12/2022
EQRx International EQ 143-301: A Randomized, Three-Arm, Open-Label Phase 3b Clinical Trial of Aumolertinib, Versus Aumolertinib With Chemotherapy, Versus Osimertinib for Patients With Metastatic NSCLC and an EGFR Mutation
LUNG - Non Small Cell Cancer (NSCLC)
08/09/2022
Revolution Medicines RMC-6291-001: Phase 1/1b, Multicenter, Open-Label, Dose Escalation and Dose Expansion Study of RMC-6291 Monotherapy in Subjects With Advanced KRASG12C Mutant Solid Tumors
LUNG - Non Small Cell Cancer (NSCLC)
10/24/2022
Ascentage Pharma APG-5918XG101: A Phase I Study of Safety, Pharmacokinetic and Efficacy of Orally Administered APG-5918 in Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors or Hematologic Malignancies
OTHER
10/13/2022
iTEOS A2A-005: Study of Inupadenant (EOS100850) With Chemotherapy as Second Line Treatment for Nonsquamous Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
LUNG - Non Small Cell Cancer (NSCLC)
08/08/2022
Navire Pharma Inc., Nav-1004: A Phase 1 Study of the SHP2 Inhibitor BBP-398 (Formerly Known as IACS-15509) in Combination With the Programmed Death Receptor-1 Blocking Antibody Nivolumab in Patients With Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer With a KRAS Mutation
LUNG - Non Small Cell Cancer (NSCLC)
05/16/2022
Pfizer C4761001- A PHASE 1, OPEN-LABEL, DOSE ESCALATION AND DOSE EXPANSION STUDY TO EVALUATE THE SAFETY, TOLERABILITY, PHARMACOKINETICS, AND ANTI TUMOR ACTIVITY OF PF-07799933 (ARRY-440) AS A SINGLE AGENT AND IN COMBINATION THERAPY IN PARTICIPANTS 16 YEARS AND OLDER WITH ADVANCED SOLID TUMORS WITH BRAF ALTERATIONS
MELANOMA
05/26/2022
Imugene CF33-hNIS-002: This is an open-label, dose-escalation, multi-center phase I study evaluating the safety of CF33-hNIS (hNIS – human sodium iodide symporter) administered via two routes of administration, intratumoral (IT) or intravenous (IV), either as a monotherapy or in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with metastatic or advanced solid tumors.
SOLID TUMORS
01/05/2023
Daiichi Sankyo: U31402-A-U301- A Study of Patritumab Deruxtecan Versus Platinum-based Chemotherapy in Metastatic or Locally Advanced EGFRm NSCLC After Failure of EGFR TKI Therapy
LUNG - Non Small Cell Cancer (NSCLC)
06/08/2022
Bristol-Myers Squibb: CA224-123 – A Study of Nivolumab-relatlimab Fixed-dose Combination Versus Regorafenib or TAS-102 in Participants With Later-lines of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (RELATIVITY-123)
COLORECTAL
06/03/2022
Daiichi Sankyo DS7300-127: A Phase 2, Multicenter, Randomized, Open-label Study of DS-7300a, a B7-H3 Antibody Drug Conjugate (ADC), in Subjects With Pretreated Extensive-stage Small Cell Lung Cancer (ES-SCLC)
LUNG
01/11/2023
Freenome FRNM-008: The Vallania Study: A Case Control Study for the Development of Multiomics Blood Tests for Cancer Screening
OTHER
12/27/2022
Eli Lilly I3Y-MC-JPEF: A Phase 3: Randomized, Double Blind: Abemaciclib (LY2835219) Plus Fulvestrant Compared to Placebo Plus Fulvestrant in Advanced or Metastatic Breast, HR+, HER2-, following progression on a CDK 4/6 Inhibitor and Endocrine Therapy.
BREAST
01/10/2022
Novartis CLEE011A2412B: A Post-trial Access Roll-over Study to Allow Access to Ribociclib (LEE011) for Patients Who Are on Ribociclib Treatment in Novartis-sponsored Study
BREAST
07/07/2022
Gritstone Bio, Inc. GO-010: A Study of a Personalized Neoantigen Vaccine in Combination With Immune Checkpoint Blockade for Patients With Metastatic Colorectal Cancer.
COLORECTAL
04/18/2022
Guardant 02-MX-002 SHIELD – Screening for High Frequency Malignant Disease (SHIELD)
LUNG
08/08/2022
AstraZeneca D967RC00001: A Phase 3 Open-label Trial of Neoadjuvant Trastuzumab Deruxtecan (T-DXd) Monotherapy or T-DXd Followed by THP Compared to ddAC-THP in Participants With High-risk HER2-positive Early-stage Breast Cancer (DESTINY-Breast11)
BREAST
01/26/2023
Seattle Genetics SGNS40-002: An Open-label, Phase 2 Basket Study of SEA-CD40 Combination Therapies in Subjects with Advance Malignancies
OTHER
09/16/2021
Pfizer C4401001: A Study to Test the Safety and Tolerability of PF-07257876 in Participants With Selected Advanced Tumors.
SOLID TUMORS
09/30/2021
Vaccinex VX15/2503-12: A Phase 1b/2 Study of the Combination of Pepinemab and Pembrolizumab in Patients with Advanced, Recurrent or Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck.
HEAD/NECK
04/29/2021
TG Therapeutics TG-1801-102: “A Phase 1b Multi-cohort Study of TG-1801 Alone or in Combination with Ublituximab in Subjects with B-Cell Lymphoma or Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia”
LEUKEMIA - Chronic Lymphocytic
04/07/2021
Mirati Therapeutics 849-010: A Randomized Phase 3 Study of MRTX849 in Combination with Cetuximab Versus Chemotherapy in Patients with Advanced Colorectal Cancer with KRAS G12C Mutation with Disease Progression On or After Standard First-Line Therapy
COLORECTAL
03/15/2021
AstraZeneca D967UC00001: Phase III Study of Trastuzumab Deruxtecan (T-DXd) with or without Pertuzumab versus Taxane, Trastuzumab and Pertuzumab in HER2-positive, First-line Metastatic Breast Cancer (DESTINY-Breast09)
BREAST
01/03/2022
Merck MK1026-003: A Phase 2 Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of MK-1026 in Participants With Hematologic Malignancies
OTHER
02/02/2023
AstraZeneca D8532C00001 (SERENA-4): A Comparative Study of AZD9833 Plus Palbociclib Versus Anastrozole Plus Palbociclib in Patients With ER-Positive HER2 Negative Breast Cancer Who Have Not Received Any Systemic Treatment for Advanced Disease.
BREAST
12/06/2021
Sarah Cannon BRE-354: A Phase II Study of U3-1402 in Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer
BREAST
10/21/2022
Mirati Therapeutics Inc. 849-007: Phase 2 Trial of MRTX849 Monotherapy and in Combination With Pembrolizumab for NSCLC With KRAS G12C Mutation KRYSTAL-7.
LUNG - Non Small Cell Cancer (NSCLC)
11/02/2021
Seagen Inc., SGN35-033: A Phase 2 Study of Brentuximab Vedotin in Combination With Pembrolizumab in Subjects With Metastatic Solid Malignancies After Progression on Prior PD-1 Inhibitor Treatment
MELANOMA
10/17/2022
Hutchison 2020-013-00US3: An Open-Label, Phase 1b/2 Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Fruquintinib in Combination With Tislelizumab in Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors
OTHER
03/26/2021
Abbvie M20-178: A Study of Oral Navitoclax Tablet in Combination With Oral Ruxolitinib Tablet to Assess Change in Spleen Volume in Adult Participants With Relapsed/Refractory Myelofibrosis (TRANSFORM-2).
MYELOFIBROSIS
10/02/2020
Pfizer: C4201002 – A PHASE 1, OPEN-LABEL, MULTI-CENTER, DOSE-FINDING, PHARMACOKINETIC, SAFETY AND TOLERABILITY STUDY OF PF 07265807 IN PARTICIPANTS WITH SELECTED ADVANCED OR METASTATIC SOLID TUMOR MALIGNANCIES.
SOLID TUMORS
05/19/2022
AbbVie M20-124: A Phase 1, Multi-center, Open Label First-in-Human Study with ABBV-CLS-579 Alone and in Combination with Anti-PD-1 in Subjects with Locally Advanced or Metastatic Tumors
SOLID TUMORS
03/01/2021
OncoC4 ONC-392-001: Safety, Pharmacokinetics (PK), and Efficacy of ONC-392 as a Single Agent and in Combination With Pembrolizumab in Advanced Solid Tumors and NSCLC: An Open Label Phase IA/IB Study. Preserve CTLA4 Checkpoint Function (PRESERVE-001)
OTHER
10/28/2022
Immunomedics IMMU-132-11: A Phase 2 Open-Label Study of Sacituzumab Govitecan (IMMU-132) in Subjects with Metastatic Solid Tumors
SOLID TUMORS
06/16/2021
AbbVie M19-037: A Phase 1, Multicenter, Open-Label Study to Determine the Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics, and Preliminary Efficacy of Combinations of ABBV-927 with ABBV-368, Budigalimab (ABBV-181) and/or Chemotherapy in Subjects with Locally Advanced or Metastatic Solid Tumors
OTHER
07/14/2020
Ascentage Pharma APG-115-US-002: A Phase Ib/II Study of APG-115 in Combination with Pembrolizumab in Patients with Unresectable or Metastatic Melanomas or Advanced Solid Tumors
OTHER
09/10/2019
AbbVie M16-573: A Phase I First-in-Human Study with ABBV-155 Alone and in Combination with Taxane Therapy in Adults with Relapsed and/or Refractory Solid Tumors
OTHER
02/06/2020
AbbVie M14-239: Phase 2, Open-Label Safety and Efficacy Study of Telisotuzumab Vedotin (ABBV-399) in Subjects with Previously Treated c-Met+ Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
LUNG - Non Small Cell Cancer (NSCLC)
03/11/2020
Takeda TAK573-1501: A Phase 1/2 Open-label Study to Investigate the Safety and Tolerability, Efficacy, Pharmacokinetics, and Immunogenicity of Modakafusp Alfa (TAK-573) as a Single Agent in Patients With Relapsed Refractory Multiple Myeloma
MULTIPLE MYELOMA
06/03/2022
Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) S1609: DART: Dual Anti-CTLA-4 and Anti-PD-1 blockade in Rare Tumors
