ClinicalTrials.gg
Active, not recruitingNCT03257033TIGeR-PaCUpdated Sep 30, 2026

Intra-arterial Gemcitabine vs. IV Gemcitabine and Nab-Paclitaxel Following Radiotherapy for LAPC

A Phase 3 interventional study of Gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel in Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer, sponsored by RenovoRx. Active, not recruiting at 31 sites in 2 countries. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-30.

Sponsored by RenovoRx · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment

Updated Sep 30, 2026Now Active, not recruiting11 sites removedGo to Updates ↓
Phase
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
190
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Where this study stands

Counted across the records on this site · 2026-11-12

Among 1,852 studies in Pancreatic Neoplasms with a site in United States — 305 open to participants now, 477 under way, 25 of them phase 3. Pancreatic Neoplasms · United States.

Planned enrollment
187th of 1,575
190 · median 37
Started
2018
with 80 others
Phase 3
80 of 1,852
14 open now
Primary completion
2027-06
later than 217 of 474 live
Registered
1,086th of 1,852
by date

Among the 1,852 studies in Pancreatic Neoplasms with a site in United States, this one is the 187th largest by planned enrollment of the 1,575 interventional ones that give a count, is one of 81 that started in 2018, is one of 80 in phase 3, reaches primary completion later than 217 of the 474 other live ones, and was the 1,086th registered.

Pancreatic Neoplasms

3,896 studies on the registry are indexed under Pancreatic Neoplasms; 1,007 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 190 is above the median of 47 across 2,932 interventional studies indexed under Pancreatic Neoplasms.

Browse Pancreatic Neoplasms studies →

Open to participants now

305 of the 1,852 studies in Pancreatic Neoplasms with a site in United States are open now, in 12 countries. Each count lists the studies.

All 305 open studies →

Who these studies take

Of the 746 Pancreatic Neoplasms studies recruiting now, 479 (64%) set no upper age limit and 151 (20%) stop at 75 or younger; 40 take children under 18; 59 take healthy volunteers.

This study: 18 Years and older · all sexes · no healthy volunteers.

The full table on the hub →
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02

Study summary

The study is a multi-center, open-label, randomized active controlled study of subjects with locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma which is unresectable.

Read the detailed description

All subjects will receive induction therapy of IV gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel, as well as SBRT radiation therapy for approximately a total of four months. Subjects who remain eligible will then be randomized to receive either intra-arterial chemotherapy with gemcitabine; or to continue gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel. Subjects will receive the randomized treatments for up to 16 weeks or until progression. Both groups will receive either IV gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel or oral capecitabine following the 16-week treatment course until disease progression at the discretion of the Investigator and then followed for survival for five years.

03

Conditions studied

  • Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer
04

Who can participate

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

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  1. Histologically or Cytopathology confirmed pancreatic adenocarcinoma with initial diagnosis within 8 weeks of consent for patients who enroll at cycle 1, and from the start of cycle 1 of gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel chemotherapy for patients who enroll at cycle 2
  2. Locally advanced, unresectable disease at screening and prior to randomization, as defined by NCCN criteria determined by an on-site, experienced, multidisciplinary team (as confirmed by CT or MRI within 30 days of the start of cycle 1)
  3. (ECOG) Performance Status (PS) of 0 or 1
  4. Age ≥ 18 years
  5. Adequate laboratory values prior to receiving the first dose of nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine: (criterion must be met prior to cycle 2.) For a subject with elevated , or ALT, who has had a biliary stent placed, if the subject's lab values have returned to within the required range for eligibility noted below in sub-criteria e and f [(AST) ALT ≤ 3.0 X the upper normal limit, and total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 X the upper normal limit] after placement of stent and prior to cycle 2, he/she is eligible for the study. Additional details regarding eligibility for subjects who have had biliary stents recently placed are outlined in sub-criteria f and h below.

    1. (ANC) ≥ 1,500/μL
    2. count ≥ 100,000/μL
    3. ≥ 9.0 g/dL
    4. Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 mg/dL OR ≥ 50 mL/min/1.73 m2 for subjects with creatinine >1.5 mg/dL
    5. *Aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) ≤ 3.0 X the upper normal limit of institution's normal range
    6. *Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 X the upper normal limit of institution's normal range -OR- If biliary stent is placed or planned to be placed within 6 weeks of Cycle 1 Day 1 (C1D1), total bilirubin ≤ 2.0 X the upper normal limit of institution's normal range (see section 9.1.4 for dose modification due to elevated bilirubin)
    7. (PT) and partial thromboplastin time (PTT) must be ≤ 1.5 X upper normal limit of institution's normal range. Subjects who are currently taking anti-coagulant therapy are eligible if not meeting this criterion
    8. International normalized ration (INR) ≤ 1.5 X upper normal limit of institution's normal range. Subjects who are currently taking anti-coagulant therapy are eligible if not meeting this criterion *For elevated AST, ALT, and total bilirubin at screening, subject must have a normalized result prior to initiation of Cycle 2 if abnormal labs are considered related to bile duct obstruction and a biliary stent has been placed
  6. > 12 weeks
  7. Negative pregnancy test for women of (either serum or urine) within one day prior to administration of the first dose of chemotherapy. Women of childbearing potential should use highly effective methods of during treatment and for up to 6 months following treatment cessation
  8. Provide written
  9. Subjects willing to participate in the study for at least 8 months if randomized to IA gemcitabine OR IV gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Any prior treatment for pancreatic cancer OR more than one cycle of gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel treatment. For subjects who have started on their first cycle of gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel treatment prior to consent, Inclusion Criterion #1 only applies to the first gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel dose and must be within 6 weeks of confirmed diagnosis
  2. Any evidence of disease or another active within the past one year except for cervical cancer in situ, in situ carcinoma of the bladder or non-melanoma carcinoma of the skin.
  3. Subjects unable or unwilling to have their first randomized treatment within 3 weeks of the post induction imaging and within 5 weeks of their last induction treatment
  4. Subjects without baseline tumor imaging
  5. As determined by the Sponsor:

    Arterial anatomy unsuitable for IA delivery of gemcitabine to the intended tumor site, determined by CT or MRI, as determined and approved by the Sponsor Imaging Advisor, which includes the following:

    1. Stenosis or occlusion in the intended artery for treatment
    2. Inability to exclude major side branches in the area of the intended RenovoCath® catheter occlusion
    3. No suitable artery with a diameter greater than 3 mm in proximity of at least one side of the tumor
    4. Superior mesenteric vein (SMV) occlusion or stenosis that cannot be resolved with medication or intervention prior to randomization, if the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) is the only viable treatment artery Note: Arterial Anatomy will be reviewed by the Sponsor, RenovoRx Imaging Advisor, and RenovoRx Medical Monitor for approval
  6. for SBRT planning which includes the following:

    1. Gastrointestinal mucosal infiltration evident at the time of diagnostic endoscopy
    2. Prior abdominal radiotherapy judged to have degree of overlap with planned SBRT dose distribution Note: Primary tumors with a diameter greater than 7 cm must be assessed on a case-by-case basis with the RenovoRx Imaging Advisor prior to excluding the subject from the trial.
  7. Subjects with known infection or active viral hepatitis
  8. Severe infections requiring hospitalization within 4 weeks prior to the first study treatment, including but not limited to complications of infection, bacteremia or severe pneumonia
  9. Signs or symptoms of infection within 2 weeks prior to the first study treatment, as assessed by the Investigator
  10. Received antibiotics for treatment of an infection within 48 hours prior to initiation of study treatment. Subjects receiving prophylactic antibiotics are eligible
  11. History of severe allergic, anaphylactic, or other reactions to gemcitabine or nab-paclitaxel
  12. Any anti-cancer therapy including chemotherapy, hormonal therapy for prostate cancer, or radiotherapy within 2 weeks prior to initiation of study treatment; or herbal therapy intended as anti-cancer therapy within 1 week prior to initiation of study treatment
  13. Subjects with uncontrolled seizures
  14. Cardiovascular disease including unstable angina or life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, stroke; or (NYHA) Class III or IV congestive heart failure (CHF) within the last 3 months prior to the first study treatment. Subjects with prior history of Myocardial Infarction (MI), congestive heart failure (CHF), coronary artery bypass grafting, or prior valve surgery need to have assessment of (EF) to ensure EF is not ≤ 40% (as determined by MRI, ECHO, or Nuclear Scan), within the last 3 months prior to the initiation of study treatment
  15. Other severe concurrent disease or comorbidities which make it difficult to participate in this study, as assessed by Investigator
  16. Any of the following procedures prior to initiation of study treatment:

    1. Catheterization, endoscopy, stent or drain placement within 48 hours. (Diagnostic laparoscopy without surgical intervention and/or port placement do not require any wait time prior to study treatment)
    2. Minor surgery requiring light sedation (such as surgical laparoscopy) within 2 weeks
    3. Major surgery within 4 weeks
  17. Women who are breastfeeding
  18. Male or female subjects of who do not agree to either remain abstinent or employ highly effective and acceptable forms of throughout their participation in the study and for 6 months after the last study treatment
  19. Subjects receiving any other agents within 2 weeks prior to the initiation of treatment
  20. Any social situations or psychiatric illness that would limit compliance with study requirements
  21. Subjects unable or unwilling to have standard catheterization procedure
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(22)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

ECOG performance status

A scale of how much an illness limits everyday activity. For people being assessed to join a study, scores run from 0 (fully active) to 4; lower is more active.

0
Fully active, no restrictions.
1
Limited in strenuous activity, but walking and able to do light work, such as housework or office work.
2
Walking and able to look after yourself, but unable to work; up and about more than half of waking hours.
3
Able to look after yourself only in part; in bed or a chair more than half of waking hours.
4
Unable to look after yourself at all; in bed or a chair all day.

Studies most often ask for 0–1 or 0–2. Your doctor gives the score; the WHO scale uses the same steps. The full scale also has 5, which records death.

Bilirubin

A yellow substance made when red blood cells are broken down, which the liver clears. A high level can mean a problem with the liver or the bile ducts.

Criteria often allow more for people with Gilbert’s syndrome, a harmless inherited condition that raises bilirubin.

ALT and AST (liver enzymes)

Two enzymes measured in a routine blood test of the liver. Higher levels can mean the liver is under strain or damaged. SGPT and SGOT are older names for ALT and AST.

Criteria usually give a limit as a multiple of the upper limit of normal (ULN), often higher when cancer has spread to the liver.

Absolute neutrophil count (ANC)

The number of neutrophils, white blood cells that help fight infection, in a given amount of blood. Too few raises the risk of infection.

It is a count, not a percentage of the white cells. Limits are written in units that mean the same: ≥ 1.5 × 10⁹/L is ≥ 1,500 per mm³ (µL). Each lab has its own reference range.

Platelets

Blood cells that help blood clot. Too few raises the risk of bleeding and bruising. A usual adult range is about 150–400 × 10⁹/L (150,000–400,000 per µL); each lab has its own reference range.

Hemoglobin (Hb)

The protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. A low level is anaemia, which can cause tiredness and breathlessness. Measured in g/dL or g/L (9 g/dL is 90 g/L).

Creatinine clearance (CrCl)

How quickly the kidneys clear creatinine, a waste product, from the blood. A study may estimate it from a blood test with age, weight and sex (often by the Cockcroft–Gault formula), or measure it using blood and urine collected over a set time. Given in mL/min; higher is better.

INR, PT and aPTT (clotting tests)

Blood tests of how long blood takes to clot. The INR is the prothrombin time (PT) put on a common scale; about 1 is usual for someone not taking a blood thinner.

Criteria often make an exception for people on a blood thinner such as warfarin, whose INR is raised on purpose.

Life expectancy

The study doctor’s estimate of how long someone is likely to live. Criteria use it so that people can stay in the study long enough for it to answer its question.

Childbearing potential

Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).

Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.

Contraception

Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.

Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

Metastases

Cancer that has spread from where it began to other parts of the body. “Metastatic” cancer is cancer that has spread this way.

Cancer (malignancy)

Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.

Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.

Contraindication

A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.

Clinically significant

Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.

HIV

The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.

Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.

Hypersensitivity

An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.

NYHA class (heart failure)

The New York Heart Association’s four classes of how much heart failure limits physical activity.

I
No limits: ordinary activity causes no undue tiredness or breathlessness.
II
Slight limits: comfortable at rest, ordinary activity causes symptoms.
III
Marked limits: comfortable at rest, less than ordinary activity causes symptoms.
IV
Symptoms even at rest; any activity makes them worse.

Studies set their own limit — many outside heart failure leave out class III–IV, while heart failure studies may ask for a particular class. Check the class this study names.

LVEF (left ventricular ejection fraction)

The share of blood the heart’s main pumping chamber (the left ventricle) pushes out with each beat, measured by an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) or a MUGA scan. About 50–70% is normal.

Reproductive potential

Able to have children. For women this usually means from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery; for men, unless permanently sterile. Read who the line is about — participants, women, men, or their partners.

Criteria about it usually ask for contraception during the study and for a time after it.

Investigational drug or device

A drug or device being studied in a clinical trial.

It may be new, or already approved and being studied for another use, dose or form. Criteria often leave out people who took part in another study of one within a recent period, commonly 30 days or five half-lives.

05

Study design

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

Study arms

  • Experimental
    IA Therapy

    IA Treatments with 1,000 mg/m2 gemcitabine administered through RenovoCath every other week for a maximum of 8 treatments for approximately 16 weeks.

    Drug: Gemcitabine · Device: RenovoCath

  • Active comparator
    IV Therapy

    IV gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel will be administered for 16 weeks on days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28 day cycle. Nab-paclitaxel will be administered intravenously following pre-medication at a dose of 125 mg/m2 over 30 minutes followed by an infusion of gemcitabine at a dose of 1000 mg/m2 over 30 minutes.

    Drug: Gemcitabine · Drug: nab-paclitaxel

Interventions

  • Chemotherapy

    Also known as: Gemzar

  • Chemotherapy

    Also known as: Abraxane

  • DeviceRenovoCath

    Intra-arterial catheter

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Overall Survival

    OS from time of randomization will be calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared between the test and control groups using the stratified Wilcoxin Test

    Time frame: Up to Five Years

Secondary outcomes

  1. Overall Survival for treatment received and unresected populations

    The primary endpoint analysis will be repeated for the Treatment Received and Unresected Subject populations.

    Time frame: Up to Five Years

  2. Progression Free Survival

    To compare the Progression Free Survival of intra-arterial delivery of gemcitabine using the RenovoCath™ device vs. continuation of IV gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel following induction therapy with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel and radiation treatment for locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Disease response and progression will be assessed according to RECIST 1.1.

    Time frame: Up to Five Years

  3. Objective response rate and duration of response

    Objective response is defined as a complete response, CR, or partial response, PR, determined by Investigator assessment and confirmed by repeat assessment ≥ 4 weeks after initial documentation.

    Time frame: Up to Five Years

  4. Health Related Quality of Life

    The EORTC questionnaire will be used to assess health related quality of life. The summary scores for the EORTC questionnaire will be calculated at baseline and follow-up.

    Time frame: Up to Five Years

  5. Neuropathy Assessment

    The degree of neuropathy will be measured by the FACT/GOG-NTX-4 (version 4). The results will be cross tabulated by randomized treatment group for each study visit.

    Time frame: 1 Year

  6. Frequency of neutropenia

    Neutropenia with onset after randomization requiring the use of filgrastim or other medications for white blood cell stimulation will be compared between the test and control groups through progression of disease.

    Time frame: 30 Days Post-Randomized Treatment

  7. Frequency of Myelosuppression

    Frequency of myelosuppression requiring medication for blood products to overcome anemia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia

    Time frame: 30 Days Post-Randomized Treatment

  8. Safety, defined as adverse event rate, and tolerability, defined as occurrence of treatment discontinuation

    Safety and tolerability of the drug/device combination will be assessed by the occurrence of treatment discontinuation and the presence of adverse events

    Time frame: Up to Five Years

07

Study locations

31 sites
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Novelli PM, Zervos EE, Zureikat AH, Pishvaian MJ, Meredith K, Hatoum H, Nazemzadeh R, Laroia S, Kasi P, Bingham J, Agah R. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic sub-study of trans-arterial vs. intravenous gemcitabine in the TIGeR-PaC phase 3 clinical trial. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2026 Aug 17;96(1):91. doi: 10.1007/s00280-026-04939-0. PubMed 42604879 ↗
  • Farsad K, Novelli PM, Laing C, Gandhi RT, Cynamon J, Lopez CS, Stempinski ES, Strasser R, Agah R. Double-Balloon Catheter-Mediated Transarterial Chemotherapy Delivery in a Swine Model: A Mechanism Recruiting the Vasa Vasorum for Localized Therapies. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2024 Jul;35(7):1043-1048.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.jvir.2024.03.016. Epub 2024 Mar 18. PubMed 38508449 ↗
09

Timeline

1 registry update since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reachedSimilar studies: half by the dot; the band is the middle halfHalf of similar studies reached it by the dot; the band is the middle half, from a quarter to three quarters

Started Mar 2018 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Jun 2027, 111 months after the start.

Of 84 phase 3 interventional studies under Pancreatic Neoplasms, half reached primary completion within 58 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 36 and three quarters within 77. This study's planned 111 months is above that.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Aug 17, 2017
First posted
Aug 22, 2017
StartActual
Mar 12, 2018
Primary completionEst.
Jun 2027
CompletionEst.
Sep 2027
Last update
Sep 30, 2026
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
Status
Recruiting→Active, not recruiting
changed Sep 30, 2026
Sites
11 sites removed
Show 11 removed
  • Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers · Denver, United States
  • Comprehensive Cancer Care and Research Institute of Colorado, CCCRIC · Englewood, United States
  • Georgetown University · Washington D.C., United States
  • Piedmont-Columbus Regional - John B. Amos Cancer Center · Columbus, United States
  • Ochsner Clinic Foundation · New Orleans, United States
  • LSU Health Shreveport · Shreveport, United States
  • Atlantic Health System - Morristown Medical Center · Morristown, United States
  • Albany Stratton VA Medical Center · Albany, United States
  • Sarah Cannon Research Institute · Nashville, United States
  • VA Puget Sound Health Care System · Seattle, United States
  • UZ Gent · Ghent, Belgium
Sep 30, 2026
Show all 1 update
  1. Sep 30, 2026
    Recruiting→Active, not recruiting
    11 sites removed
    Show 11 removed
    • Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers · Denver, United States
    • Comprehensive Cancer Care and Research Institute of Colorado, CCCRIC · Englewood, United States
    • Georgetown University · Washington D.C., United States
    • Piedmont-Columbus Regional - John B. Amos Cancer Center · Columbus, United States
    • Ochsner Clinic Foundation · New Orleans, United States
    • LSU Health Shreveport · Shreveport, United States
    • Atlantic Health System - Morristown Medical Center · Morristown, United States
    • Albany Stratton VA Medical Center · Albany, United States
    • Sarah Cannon Research Institute · Nashville, United States
    • VA Puget Sound Health Care System · Seattle, United States
    • UZ Gent · Ghent, Belgium
    + 2 other changes: verification date and contact details

From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03257033
Lead sponsor
RenovoRx
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Aug 22, 2017
Start date
Mar 12, 2018
Primary completion
Jun 2027 (estimated)
Completion
Sep 2027 (estimated)
Last update
Sep 30, 2026

Study contacts

Michael J Pishvaian
study chair · Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in Sep 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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Discussion

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