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RecruitingNCT05825066Updated Sep 28, 2026

Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Borderline Resectable and Locally Advanced Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

A Phase 2 interventional study of Nab paclitaxel and Gemcitabine in Pancreas Adenocarcinoma, Borderline Resectable Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma and Locally Advanced Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma, sponsored by Wake Forest University Health Sciences. Recruiting at 2 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-28.

Sponsored by Wake Forest University Health Sciences · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
64
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The objective of this research is to find out what effects (good and bad), the sequence of Gemcitabine - Abraxane (nab-Paclitaxel) followed by mFOLFIRINOX, the standard chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer, has on participants and their condition. Gemcitabine - Abraxane (nab-Paclitaxel) and mFOLFIRINOX has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as first line treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer. The sequence of Gemcitabine - Abraxane (nab-Paclitaxel) followed by mFOLFIRINOX has not been approved by the FDA for treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Read the detailed description

Primary Objective:

- The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of sequential Gemcitabine - Abraxane (nab-Paclitaxel) followed by mFOLFIRINOX in improving R0 resection rate in patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer and locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer.

Secondary Objectives:

  • Evaluate the safety and tolerability of sequential Gemcitabine - Abraxane (nab-Paclitaxel) followed by mFOLFIRINOX in patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer and locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer.
  • Evaluate progression-free survival (PFS) in patients treated with sequential Gemcitabine - Abraxane (nab-Paclitaxel) followed by mFOLFIRINOX in patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer and locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST 1.1) guidelines.
  • Evaluate overall survival (OS) in patients treated with sequential Gemcitabine - Abraxane (nab-Paclitaxel) followed by mFOLFIRINOX in patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer and locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer.
  • Evaluate the objective response rate (ORR) in patients treated with sequential Gemcitabine - Abraxane (nab-Paclitaxel) followed by mFOLFIRINOX in patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer and locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer.
  • Evaluate the disease control rate (DCR) in patients treated with Gemcitabine - Abraxane (nab-Paclitaxel) followed by mFOLFIRINOX in patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer and locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer.
02

Conditions studied

  • Pancreas Adenocarcinoma
  • Borderline Resectable Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma
  • Locally Advanced Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma
03

Who can participate

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Patients must have histologically or cytologically proven adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. Patients with mixed tumor with predominant adenocarcinoma pathology can be enrolled.
  • Patients with borderline resectable or locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma as assessed per National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines (either pancreatic head, neck, uncinate process, or body/tail) or institutional multidisciplinary consensus.
  • Age 18 or above.
  • Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0-1.
  • Patients must have organ and marrow function as defined below:

    • Hemoglobin ≥8 g/dL
    • Absolute neutrophil count ≥1,500/mcL
    • Platelets ≥100,000/mcL
    • Total bilirubin ≤1.5 X institutional upper limit of normal
    • AST(SGOT)/ALT(SGPT) \<2.5 X institutional upper limit of normal
    • Creatinine ≤1.5 X institutional upper limit of normal or CrCL>50
    • It is acceptable to transfuse packed red blood cells (PRBC) and platelets at the time of enrollment to meet the eligibility criteria.
    • If obstructive jaundice is present, consider ursodiol or a biliary drainage procedure. If the total bilirubin can be reduced or kept to less than or equal to 3 mg/dL, then this inclusion criteria is met.
  • Measurable disease per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST v1.1).
  • Ability to understand and the willingness to sign an IRB-approved informed consent document (either directly or via a legally authorized representative).

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients who have had prior chemotherapy with gemcitabine and/or nab-paclitaxel or FOLFIRINOX for pancreatic cancer.
  • Patients receiving any other investigational anti-neoplastic agents.
  • History of malignancy in last 3 years except cervical cancer in situ, adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma of skin or treated low risk prostate cancer, who are considered to be eligible.
  • Patients with active and uncontrolled bacterial, viral or fungal infection requiring systemic therapy. Patients can be reevaluated for the study if the infection is deemed to be under control and the systemic therapy for the infection is completed.
  • Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements or compromise the patient's safety.
  • Patients with known diagnosis of interstitial lung disease, sarcoidosis, pulmonary fibrosis, or pneumonitis requiring oxygen supplementation. Those that do not require oxygen supplementation are eligible.
  • Patients who have undergone surgery, other than diagnostic or minor procedures, within 4 weeks prior to the initiation of study treatment.
  • Patients who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
04

Study design

Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
64 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy (Gemcitabine and nab-Paclitaxel and mFOLFIRNIOX)

    * Gemcitabine (1000 mg/m2 weekly, on day 1,8 and 15 OR 1000 mg/m2 weekly, on day 1 and 15 over 30 minutes after nab-paclitaxel infusion. * nab-Paclitaxel (125 mg/m2 weekly, on days 1,8, and 15 OR on days 1 and 15 as a 30-40 minute infusion administered first) for one month and then transition to mFOLFIRNIOX for one month. * 1 Cycle = 4 weeks: Day 1,8,15 in a 28 day cycle; 3 consecutive weeks (weeks 1, 2, and 3) of chemotherapy with 1 week off, OR * 1 Cycle = 4 weeks: Day 1, 15 in a 28 day cycle; Every other week (weeks 1 and 3) of chemotherapy with 2nd and 4th week off * mFOLFIRINOX: Oxaliplatin, 85 mg/m² IV once every two weeks over 2 hours on Day 1; Irinotecan, 150 mg/m² IV once every two weeks over 90 minutes on Day 1; 5-FU, 2,400 mg/m² IV once every two weeks over 46-48 hours administered via infusion; Leucovorin, 400 mg/m2 IV every two weeks over 90 minutes on Day 1. * 1 Cycle = 4 weeks, administration on Day 1 and Day 15 of each mFOLIRINOX cycle

    Drug: Nab paclitaxel · Drug: Gemcitabine · Other: Radiological Assessments · Drug: mFOLFIRINOX

Interventions

  • DrugNab paclitaxel

    The intervention will be administered on an outpatient basis. The patients on this study will begin treatment with GA for one month and then transition to mFFX for one month. The patient will come off of the sequence study intervention if the imaging after the 2nd month shows unequivocal progression. After four months of sequential neoadjuvant therapy the patient will come off study and can proceed to surgery, radiation, or extended course of chemotherapy as determined by the multidisciplinary tumor board consensus or the treating physician.

  • DrugGemcitabine

    The intervention will be administered on an outpatient basis. The patients on this study will begin treatment with GA for one month and then transition to mFFX for one month. The patient will come off of the sequence study intervention if the imaging after the 2nd month shows unequivocal progression. After four months of sequential neoadjuvant therapy the patient will come off study and can proceed to surgery, radiation, or extended course of chemotherapy as determined by the multidisciplinary tumor board consensus or the treating physician.

  • OtherRadiological Assessments

    CT imaging of chest abdomen and pelvis will be performed every 8 weeks. MRI may be used.

  • DrugmFOLFIRINOX

    The intervention will be administered on an outpatient basis. The patients on this study will begin treatment with GA for one month and then transition to mFFX for one month. The patient will come off of the sequence study intervention if the imaging after the 2nd month shows unequivocal progression. After four months of sequential neoadjuvant therapy the patient will come off study and can proceed to surgery, radiation, or extended course of chemotherapy as determined by the multidisciplinary tumor board consensus or the treating physician.

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. R0 Resection Rate - Borderline Resectable Prostate Cancer Participants

    The R0 resection is assessed only in patients who undergo surgery. R0 resection is a microscopically margin-negative resection, in which no gross or microscopic tumor remains in the primary tumor bed. Participants are considered to be evaluable if they receive at least one sequence of treatments with GA and mFFX (1 cycle GA followed by 1 cycle of m FFX). Primary analysis for each cohort will calculate the R0 resection rate with one-sided 95% confidence interval.

    Time frame: Approximately every 8 weeks, up to 9 months

  2. R0 Resection Rate - Locally Advanced Prostate Cancer Participants

    The R0 resection is assessed only in patients who undergo surgery. R0 resection is a microscopically margin-negative resection, in which no gross or microscopic tumor remains in the primary tumor bed. Participants are considered to be evaluable if they receive at least one sequence of treatments with GA and mFFX (1 cycle GA followed by 1 cycle of m FFX). Primary analysis for each cohort will calculate the R0 resection rate with one-sided 95% confidence interval.

    Time frame: Approximately every 8 weeks, up to 9 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Incidences of Adverse Events - Safety

    The incidence of treatment-emergent toxicities/adverse events (AEs) and Serious Adverse Events (SAEs) in terms categorized and graded according to National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI CTCAE version 5). Incidence tables will be generated to summarize incidence of patients reporting at least one episode of each specific adverse event, incidence of adverse events causing withdrawals and incidence of serious adverse events, separated by cohort.

    Time frame: Up to 1 year after completion of study intervention

  2. Number of Participants to Complete Study Intervention- Tolerability

    The number of participants to complete 4 cycles of sequential chemotherapy.

    Time frame: 9 months

  3. Progression-Free Survival (PFS)

    Progression free survival (PFS) is defined from the day of study treatment initiation until progression according to RECIST v 1.1 guidelines (Progression: One or more of the following must occur: 20% increase in the sum of appropriate diameters of target measurable lesions over smallest sum observed \[over baseline if no decrease during therapy\] using the same techniques as baseline, as well as an absolute increase of at least 0.5 cm. Unequivocal progression of non-measurable disease in the opinion of the treating physician) or death of any cause, whichever occurs first, as measured throughout the study. Stratified Kaplan-Meier curves will be constructed to assess PFS with estimated 6-month and median times with 95% confidence intervals.

    Time frame: Up to 1 year after completion of study intervention

  4. Overall Survival (OS)

    Overall survival (OS) is defined from the time of study treatment initiation until death of any cause. Stratified Kaplan-Meier curves will be constructed to assess OS with estimated 6-month and median times with 95% confidence intervals.

    Time frame: Up to 1 year after completion of study intervention

  5. Tumor Response

    Tumor response based defined as the proportion of patients who achieve complete response or partial response based on RECISTv1.1 criteria. These will be evaluated according to the RECISTv1.1 criteria using a summarized count/percent with one-sided 95% confidence interval for each cohort: The RECIST v1.1 definitions include: Complete Response (CR): The disappearance of all target lesions. Partial Response (PR): At least a 30% decrease in the sum of diameters of target lesions.

    Time frame: Up to 1 year after completion of study intervention

  6. Disease Control

    Disease control is defined as the proportion of patients with a disease control rate (complete + partial response + stable disease) based on RECISTv1.1 criteria using a summarized count/percent with one-sided 95% confidence interval for each cohort. Complete Response (CR): Complete disappearance of all target and non-target lesions (with the exception of lymph nodes mentioned below). No new lesions. No disease related symptoms. Partial Response (PR): Applies only to patients with at least one measurable lesion. Greater than or equal to 30% decrease under baseline of the sum of appropriate diameters of all target measurable lesions. Stable: Does not qualify for CR, PR, Progression or Symptomatic Deterioration. All target measurable lesions must be assessed using the same techniques as baseline.

    Time frame: Up to 1 year after completion of study intervention

06

Study locations

2 of 2 sites recruiting
  • Levine Cancer Institute
    Charlotte, North Carolina 28204, United States
    Recruiting
  • Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center
    Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157, United States
    Recruiting
07

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

08

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05825066
Lead sponsor
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Collaborators
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Apr 24, 2023
Start date
Aug 1, 2023
Primary completion
Jun 2027 (estimated)
Completion
Jul 2028 (estimated)
Last update
Sep 28, 2026

Study contacts

Project Manager
Contact
Melani.Terry@advocatehealth.org
336-716-5772
Ravi K Paluri, MD, MPH
principal investigator · Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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