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CompletedNCT02562755PHOCUSUpdated Jun 8, 2026Results posted

Hepatocellular Carcinoma Study Comparing Vaccinia Virus Based Immunotherapy Plus Sorafenib vs Sorafenib Alone

A Phase 3 interventional study of Pexastimogene Devacirepvec (Pexa Vec) and Sorafenib in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC), sponsored by SillaJen, Inc.. Completed at 142 sites in 16 countries. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-06-08.

Sponsored by SillaJen, Inc. · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
459
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This is a randomized Phase 3 study to determine whether treatment with vaccinia virus based immunotherapy (Pexa-Vec) followed by sorafenib increases survival compared to treatment with sorafenib in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma who have not received prior systemic therapy.

Read the detailed description

This is a multi-center, randomized, open-label, Phase 3 study comparing Pexa Vec followed by sorafenib versus sorafenib in patients with advanced HCC without prior systemic therapy.

A total of 459 patients were randomly assigned to 2 treatment arms- 234 patients in the Pexa-Vec followed by sorafenib treatment group and 225 patients in the sorafenib only treatment group.

02

Conditions studied

  • Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)

Keywords

  • Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)
  • Pexastimogene Devacirepvec (Pexa-Vec)
  • Sorafenib
  • GM-CSF therapy
  • Thymidine Kinase-Deactivated Vaccinia Virus
  • Oncology
  • Recombinant Vaccinia Virus
  • Oncolytic Virus Therapy
  • Oncolytic virotherapy
03

In context

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular

3,182 studies on the registry are indexed under Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; 954 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 459 is above the median of 55 across 2,298 interventional studies indexed under Carcinoma, Hepatocellular.

Browse Carcinoma, Hepatocellular studies →

Lead sponsor

SillaJen, Inc. is the lead sponsor of 3 studies on the registry; 1 is open to participants now.

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

  • Histological/cytological diagnosis of primary HCC
  • Advanced stage HCC (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer [BCLC] Stage C or B per American Association for the Study of Liver Disease [AASLD] guidelines)
  • At least one measurable viable tumor in the liver, ≥1 cm longest diameter (LD), using a dynamic imaging technique (arterial phase of triphasic computerized tomography [CT] scan, or dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]), and injectable under imaging-guidance (CT and/or ultrasound)
  • Child-Pugh Class A
  • Performance status 0 or 1 on the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) scale
  • Adequate hematological, hepatic, and renal function:
  • Additional inclusion criteria exist

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Histological diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma, hepatocholangiocarcinoma, fibrolamellar carcinoma and hepatoblastoma
  • Symptomatic cardiovascular disease, including but not limited to significant coronary artery disease (e.g., requiring angioplasty or stenting) or congestive heart failure within the preceding 12 months
  • Current or past history of cardiovascular disease (e.g.. past history of myocardial infarction, ischemic cardiomyopathy) unless cardiology consultation and clearance has been obtained for study participation
  • History of moderate or severe ascites, bleeding esophageal varices, hepatic encephalopathy or pleural effusions related to liver insufficiency within 6 months of screening
  • Bulky disease patients - tumors encompassing >50% of the liver volume and / or inferior vena cava invasion
  • Known significant immunodeficiency due to underlying illness (e.g., HIV/AIDS) and/or immune-suppressive medication including high-dose corticosteroids
  • Ongoing severe inflammatory skin condition (as determined by the Investigator) requiring medical treatment
  • History of severe eczema (as determined by the Investigator) requiring medical treatment
  • Additional exclusion criteria exist
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 3
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
459 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Pexa-Vec followed by Sorafenib

    Pexa-Vec (pexastimogene devacirepvec) will be administered as 3 bi-weekly intratumoral (IT) injections of 1e9 pfu at day 1 and weeks 2 and 4, followed by sorafenib at Week 6.

    Biological: Pexastimogene Devacirepvec (Pexa Vec) · Drug: Sorafenib

  • Active comparator
    Sorafenib

    Sorafenib (400 mg twice daily) begins on Day 1.

    Drug: Sorafenib

Interventions

  • BiologicalPexastimogene Devacirepvec (Pexa Vec)

    Pexa-Vec is a vaccinia virus based oncolytic immunotherapy designed to stimulate the immune system following infection and replication within tumor cells.

    Also known as: JX-594

  • DrugSorafenib

    Sorafenib belongs to the pharmacotherapeutic group of antineoplastic agents, protein kinase inhibitors, ATC code: L01XE05. Sorafenib is a multi-kinase inhibitor which has demonstrated both anti-proliferative and anti-angiogenic properties in vitro and in vivo. Sorafenib is approved for the treatment of advanced HCC and is the Standard Of Care for this disease.

    Also known as: Nexavar

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Overall Response Rate (ORR)

    Percentage of participants who showed overall response during their participation in the study. Per Modified Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors Criteria (mRECIST) and assessed by tri-phasic contrast enhanced CT: Complete Response (CR), Disappearance of intratumoral enhancing area; Partial Response (PR), \>=30% decrease in the sum of the diameters of enhancing area; Overall Response (OR) = CR + PR.

    Time frame: From date of randomization to the date of first documented radiographic tumor progression up to 53 months

07

Results

Posted Dec 16, 2020

Participant flow

Participant flow — Overall Study
MilestonePexa-Vec Followed by SorafenibSorafenib
Started234225
Safety population218217
Completed161153
Not completed7372

Outcome measures

PrimaryOverall Response Rate (ORR)

Percentage of participants who showed overall response during their participation in the study. Per Modified Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors Criteria (mRECIST) and assessed by tri-phasic contrast enhanced CT: Complete Response (CR), Disappearance of intratumoral enhancing area; Partial Response (PR), \>=30% decrease in the sum of the diameters of enhancing area; Overall Response (OR) = CR + PR.

Time frame:
From date of randomization to the date of first documented radiographic tumor progression up to 53 months
Reported as:
Number · percentage of participants
Overall Response Rate (ORR)
percentage of participantsPexa-Vec Followed by SorafenibSorafenib
Overall Response Rate (ORR)19.220.9

Adverse events

Collected over From date of randomization to end of participation in the study, up to 53 months. Non-serious events are listed at a 5% frequency threshold.

Adverse event summary by group
GroupDeathsSeriousOther
Pexa-Vec Followed by Sorafenib33/218 (15.1%)117/218 (53.7%)218/218 (100%)
Sorafenib25/217 (11.5%)77/217 (35.5%)214/217 (98.6%)
Most frequent serious events
Showing 10 of 159
Most frequent serious events
EventPexa-Vec Followed by SorafenibSorafenib
Hepatic failureHepatobiliary disorders11/2188/217
PyrexiaGeneral disorders8/2181/217
AscitesGastrointestinal disorders8/2184/217
Abdominal pain upperGastrointestinal disorders7/2183/217
AstheniaGeneral disorders3/2185/217
Abdominal painGastrointestinal disorders4/2185/217
Hepatic encephalopathyNervous system disorders5/2184/217
Neoplasm progressionNeoplasms benign, malignant and unspecified (incl cysts and polyps)4/2184/217
Blood bilirubin increasedInjury, poisoning and procedural complications1/2184/217
PneumoniaInfections and infestations3/2184/217
Most frequent other events
Showing 10 of 53
Most frequent other events
EventPexa-Vec Followed by SorafenibSorafenib
PyrexiaGeneral disorders184/21828/217
DiarrhoeaGastrointestinal disorders107/218116/217
Palmar plantar erythrodysaesthesia syndromeSkin and subcutaneous tissue disorders73/21899/217
Decreased appetiteMetabolism and nutrition disorders85/21864/217
NauseaGastrointestinal disorders74/21863/217
ChillsGeneral disorders71/2184/217
FatigueGeneral disorders65/21864/217
Abdominal painGastrointestinal disorders62/21860/217
Weight decreasedInvestigations58/21849/217
VomitingGastrointestinal disorders56/21827/217

Baseline characteristics

Age, Categorical
Age, Categorical(Participants)Pexa-Vec Followed by SorafenibSorafenibTotal
<=18 years000
Between 18 and 65 years133148281
>=65 years10177178
Age, Continuous
Age, Continuous(years)Pexa-Vec Followed by SorafenibSorafenibTotal
Mean61.3 ± 10.0560.5 ± 11.0660.9 ± 10.55
Sex: Female, Male
Sex: Female, Male(Participants)Pexa-Vec Followed by SorafenibSorafenibTotal
Female304373
Male204182386
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)(Participants)Pexa-Vec Followed by SorafenibSorafenibTotal
Hispanic or Latino5611
Not Hispanic or Latino229219448
Unknown or Not Reported000
Region of Enrollment
Region of Enrollment(participants)Pexa-Vec Followed by SorafenibSorafenibTotal
Singapore8311
Hong Kong134
United States403474
United Kingdom347
Thailand257
Portugal235
New Zealand272754
Canada549
South Korea6168129
China424082
Taiwan131023
Italy134
Israel123
Australia9514
France12820
Germany7613
ECOG performance status
ECOG performance status(Participants)Pexa-Vec Followed by SorafenibSorafenibTotal
0146142288
18883171
08

Study locations

142 sites
  • University of Alabama
    Birmingham, Alabama 35294, United States
  • Mayo Clinic Arizona
    Scottsdale, Arizona 85259, United States
  • UC Irvine Medical Center
    Orange, California 92868, United States
  • Stanford University School of Medicine
    Palo Alto, California 94304, United States
  • University of Florida Shands Hospital
    Gainesville, Florida 32608, United States
  • University of Chicago
    Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
  • University of Kansas Cancer Center
    Kansas City, Kansas 66205, United States
  • University of Louisville
    Louisville, Kentucky 40202, United States
  • Tulane University Health Sciences Center
    New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, United States
  • Mercy Medical Center, Inc.
    Baltimore, Maryland 21202, United States
  • University of Minnesota
    Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
  • Kansas City Research Institute
    Kansas City, Missouri 64131, United States
  • Saint Louis University
    St Louis, Missouri 63104, United States
  • Washington University School of Medicine
    St Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
  • Billings Clinic
    Billings, Montana 59101, United States
  • Morristown Medical Center
    Morristown, New Jersey 07960, United States
  • St. Joseph's Hospital
    Paterson, New Jersey 07503, United States
  • Ohio State University
    Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
  • Hospital of The University of Pennsylvania
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
  • Rhode Island Hospital
    Providence, Rhode Island 02903, United States
  • University of Tennessee Medical Center
    Knoxville, Tennessee 37920, United States
  • University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
    Dallas, Texas 75390, United States
  • Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason Hospital
    Seattle, Washington 98101, United States
  • Site No. 8409
    Adelaide, Australia
  • Site No. 8412
    Adelaide, Australia
  • Site No. 8403
    Brisbane, Australia
  • Site No. 8401
    Camperdown, Australia
  • Site No. 8407
    Clayton, Australia
  • Site No. 8406
    Concord, Australia
  • Site No. 8408
    Fitzroy, Australia
  • Site No. 8405
    Footscray, Australia
  • Site No. 8414
    Heidelberg, Australia
  • Site No. 8411
    Melbourne, Australia
  • Site No. 8402
    Parkville, Australia
  • Site No. 8415
    Perth, Australia
  • Site No. 8413
    Sydney, Australia
  • University of Alberta Hospital
    Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2B7, Canada
  • Juravinski Cancer Centre
    Hamilton, Ontario L8V 1C3, Canada
  • Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
    Toronto, Ontario M4N 3M5, Canada
  • Site 8829
    Changchun, China
  • Site No. 8821
    Changsha, China
  • Site 8811
    Fuzhou, China
  • Site 8820
    Fuzhou, China
  • Site No.8816
    Guangdong, China
  • Site 8827
    Guangzhou, China
  • Site No.8828
    Guangzhou, China
  • Site 8832
    Hangzhou, China
  • Site No. 8802
    Harbin, China
  • Site 8805
    Hefei, China
  • Site No. 8808
    Hefei, China
  • Site No.8815
    Hefei, China
  • Site No. 8801
    Nanjing, China
  • Site 8833
    Qingdao, China
  • Site 8806
    Shanghai, China
  • Site 8822
    Shanghai, China
  • Site 8831
    Shanghai, China
  • Site No. 8823
    Xi'an, China
  • Site No. 8825
    Xi'an, China
  • Site No. 9013
    Bondy, France
  • Site No. 9005
    Bordeaux, France
  • Site No. 9003
    Créteil, France
  • Site No. 9006
    Lille, France
  • Site 9012
    Montpellier, France
  • Site No. 9008
    Nantes, France
  • Site No. 9010
    Nice, France
  • Site No. 9007
    Paris, France
  • Site No. 9014
    Paris, France
  • Site No. 9011
    Rennes, France
  • Site No. 9001
    Strasbourg, France
  • Site No. 9002
    Toulouse, France
  • Site No. 9009
    Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France
  • Site No. 9111
    Aachen, Germany
  • Site No. 9113
    Bonn, Germany
  • Site No. 9109
    Dresden, Germany
  • Site No. 9108
    Frankfurt am Main, Germany
  • Site No. 9106
    Hamburg, Germany
  • Site No 9105
    Hannover, Germany
  • Site No. 9112
    Heidelberg, Germany
  • Site No. 9101
    Mainz, Germany
  • Site No. 9102
    München, Germany
  • Site No. 9104
    Tübingen, Germany
  • Site No. 9110
    Ulm, Germany
  • Site No. 8601
    Hong Kong, Hong Kong
  • Site No. 9707
    Afula, Israel
  • Site 9704
    Haifa, Israel
  • Site No. 9702
    Haifa, Israel
  • Site No. 9705
    Jerusalem, Israel
  • Site No. 9703
    Ramat Gan, Israel
  • Site No. 9706
    Tel Aviv, Israel
  • Site No.9205
    Modena, Italy
  • Site No. 9204
    Naples, Italy
  • Site No. 9201
    Palermo, Italy
  • Site No. 9203
    Parma, Italy
  • Auckland City Hospital
    Auckland, New Zealand 1142, New Zealand
  • Site No. 8902
    Christchurch, New Zealand
  • Site No. 9404
    Coimbra, Portugal
  • Site No. 9405
    Coimbra, Portugal
  • Site No. 9403
    Lisbon, Portugal
  • Site No. 9401
    Porto, Portugal
  • Site No. 9402
    Porto, Portugal

Showing the first 100 of 142 sites across 16 countries.

09

References and documents

Study documents

  • Study protocol · Jun 26, 2019
  • Statistical analysis plan · Jan 15, 2020

Documents are hosted by the registry — open the source record to download them.

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

10

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jun 8, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
11

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT02562755
Lead sponsor
SillaJen, Inc.
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Sep 29, 2015
Start date
Oct 2015
Primary completion
Jul 2020
Completion
Jul 2020
Results posted
Dec 16, 2020
Last update
Jun 8, 2026

Study contacts

SillaJen Medical
study director · SillaJen, Inc.

Oversight

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

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