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CompletedNCT02048384Updated Apr 12, 2021

A Study of Metformin With or Without Rapamycin as Maintenance Therapy After Induction Chemotherapy in Subjects With Pancreatic Cancer

A Phase 1 interventional study of metformin alone (Arm A) and metformin (Arm B) in Metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma, sponsored by Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins. Completed at 2 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2021-04-12.

Sponsored by Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins · Phase 1, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 1
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
22
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This is a phase 1b, multi-center, open label, randomized study to evaluate the safety and feasibility of administering metformin with or without rapamycin after disease stabilization on chemotherapy in subjects with metastatic PDA.

Read the detailed description

Subjects with metastatic PDA who have received FOLFIRINOX or a gemcitabine-containing regimen and have achieved stable disease or better will be enrolled onto this study. Subjects should have had at least 6 months of chemotherapy and decline continuation of chemotherapy and should have stable disease or better on 2 scans taken at least 6 weeks apart. If applicable, subjects should also have a stable or declining CA19-9.

Twenty-two subjects will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to metformin (Arm A) or metformin + rapamycin (Arm B). Subjects will be stratified according to their prior chemotherapy regimen: FOLFIRINOX or a gemcitabine-containing regimen.

Treatments will be administered orally on a 28 day cycle. Metformin will be administered 850mg twice daily and rapamycin will be administered 4mg daily.

02

Conditions studied

  • Metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

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Keywords

  • rapamycin
  • metformin
  • pancreatic cancer
  • adenocarcinoma
  • metastatic
03

In context

Adenocarcinoma

2,004 studies on the registry are indexed under Adenocarcinoma; 374 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 22 is below the median of 45 across 1,553 interventional studies indexed under Adenocarcinoma.

Browse Adenocarcinoma studies →

Lead sponsor

Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins is the lead sponsor of 572 studies on the registry; 73 are open to participants now.

Of its 111 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 67 (60%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Histologically or cytologically confirmed metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Subjects with islet cell neoplasms are excluded.
  • Have received 6 months of chemotherapy.
  • Have stable disease for at least 6 months on the current regimen with the last 2 scans taken at least 6 months apart. Measurable disease not required.
  • Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0 or 1.
  • Life expectancy of greater than 12 weeks.
  • Adequate organ and marrow function.
  • Oxygen saturation on room air > 92 % by pulse oximetry. (Subjects on intermittent or continuous supplemental oxygen are excluded).
  • Women of child-bearing potential and men must agree to use adequate contraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control; abstinence) prior to study entry and for the duration of study participation.
  • Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Receiving or has received any other investigational agents within 28 days prior to Day 1 of treatment in this study.
  • Has undergone major surgery, other than diagnostic surgery (i.e. surgery done to obtain a biopsy for diagnosis or an aborted Whipple), within 28 days prior to Day 1 of treatment in this study.
  • Known history of brain metastases unless previously treated and well controlled for at least 3 months (defined as stable clinically, no edema, no steroids).
  • History of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to metformin or rapamycin.
  • Taking ketoconazole, voriconazole, itraconazole, erythromycin, telithromycin, clarithromycin, rifampin, rifabutin, bromocriptine, cimetidine, cisapride, clotrimazole, danazol, diltiazem, fluconazole, protease inhibitors (e.g., HIV and hepatitis C that include drugs such as ritonavir, indinavir, boceprevir, and telaprevir), metoclopramide, nicardipine, troleandomycin, verapamil, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, rifapentine, St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum), and grapefruit juice. Subjects on metformin will not be excluded.
  • Has received any non-oncology live vaccine therapy used for prevention of infectious diseases for up to 28 days prior to or after the initiation of treatment in this study.
  • Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, ongoing or active infection (bacterial, viral, or fungal infection(s) requiring systemic therapy), symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements.
  • Has serious medical risk factors involving any of the major organ systems such that the Investigator considers it unsafe for the subject to receive an experimental research drug.
  • Unhealed surgical wound or other clinically significant wound.
  • Known history of chronic HIV, Hepatitis B or hepatitis C infections.
  • Pregnant or breast feeding.
  • Unwilling or unable to comply with study procedures.
  • Cannot reliably swallow pills.
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 1
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
22 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    A - metformin alone

    metformin alone Arm A patients will receive metformin 850mg orally twice a day on a 28 day cycle.

    Drug: metformin alone (Arm A)

  • Active comparator
    B - metformin + rapamycin

    metformin + rapamycin Arm B patients will receive 850mg orally twice a day and rapamycin 4mg orally once a day on a 28 day cycle.

    Drug: metformin (Arm B) · Drug: rapamycin (Arm B)

Interventions

  • Drugmetformin alone (Arm A)

    metformin alone

    Also known as: Glumetza, Fortamet, Riomet, Glucophage

  • Drugmetformin (Arm B)

    rapamycin + metformin

    Also known as: Glumetza, Fortamet, Riomet, Glucophage

  • Drugrapamycin (Arm B)

    rapamycin + metformin

    Also known as: Sirolimus, Rapamune

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. safety and feasibility

    To determine the safety and feasibility of administering metformin with or without rapamycin in subjects with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) after disease stabilization on chemotherapy.

    Time frame: 1 year

Other outcomes

  1. FDG uptake

    To evaluate fludeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in metastatic PDA subjects treated with metformin with or without rapamycin.

    Time frame: 1 year

  2. mTOR activity

    To measure mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) activity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of subjects treated with metformin with or without rapamycin.

    Time frame: 1 year

  3. estimation of RR, TTP, PFS, OS

    To estimate response rate (RR), time to progression (TTP), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in subjects with metastatic PDA treated with metformin with or without rapamycin.

    Time frame: 1 year

  4. CA19-9 measurement

    To measure tumor marker kinetics (CA 19-9) in subjects treated with metformin with or without rapamycin.

    Time frame: 1 year

07

Study locations

2 sites
  • Scottsdale Healthcare Hospitals DBA Honor Health
    Scottsdale, Arizona 85258, United States
  • Johns Hopkins SKCCC
    Baltimore, Maryland 21231, United States
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Apr 12, 2021, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT02048384
Lead sponsor
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins
Collaborators
Stand Up To Cancer
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jan 29, 2014
Start date
Jun 10, 2014
Primary completion
Feb 2018
Completion
Sep 2019
Last update
Apr 12, 2021

Study contacts

Dung Le, MD
study chair · Johns Hopkins SKCCC

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in Apr 2021. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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