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RecruitingNCT06821997Updated Sep 21, 2026

NALIRIFOX Before Surgery for the Treatment of Borderline Resectable Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, Nectar Trial

A Phase 2 interventional study of Biospecimen Collection and Computed Tomography in Borderline Resectable Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, sponsored by Roswell Park Cancer Institute. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-21.

Sponsored by Roswell Park Cancer Institute · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
20
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This phase II trial tests how well liposomal irinotecan, oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin (NALIRIFOX) before surgery works in treating patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma that is close to major blood vessels, but is still potentially removable by surgery (borderline resectable). Irinotecan is in a class of antineoplastic medications called topoisomerase I inhibitors. It blocks a certain enzyme needed for cell division and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) repair and may kill tumor cells. Liposomal irinotecan is a form of the anticancer drug irinotecan that is contained inside very tiny, fat-like particles. Liposomal irinotecan may have fewer side effects and work better than other forms of the drug. Oxaliplatin is in a class of medications called platinum-containing antineoplastic agents. It damages the cell's DNA and may kill tumor cells. 5-fluorouracil, a type of antimetabolite, stops cells from making DNA and it may kill tumor cells. Leucovorin, a form of folic acid, is used to lessen the toxic effects of substances that block the action of folic acid. It is a type of chemoprotective agent and a type of chemosensitizing agent. Giving NALIRIFOX before surgery may improve the chance of successful surgery and decrease the chance of the cancer returning after surgery in patients with borderline resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Read the detailed description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

I. To determine the antitumor efficacy of the combination of irinotecan sucrosofate (liposomal irinotecan), oxaliplatin and infusional fluorouracil (5-fluorouracil)/leucovorin calcium (leucovorin) (NALIRIFOX) in patients with borderline resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To evaluate clinical efficacy and tolerability of the proposed treatment regimen.

II. To determine the safety of liposomal irinotecan, oxaliplatin and infusional fluorouracil in patients with borderline resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES:

I. To evaluate blood-based biomarkers predictive of short- and long-term outcomes.

II. To generate tumor tissue-based biomarkers predictive of short- and long-term outcomes.

OUTLINE:

Patients receive liposomal irinotecan intravenously (IV) over 90 minutes, oxaliplatin IV over 120 minutes, leucovorin IV over 30 minutes and fluorouracil IV over 48 hours on day 1 of each cycle. Cycles repeat every 14 days for 4-8 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients undergo surgical resection 4-8 weeks after the last treatment dose. Starting 4-12 weeks after surgery, patients receive liposomal irinotecan, oxaliplatin, leucovorin, and fluorouracil for up to 4 additional cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Additionally, patients undergo computed tomography (CT) and blood sample collection throughout the study.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up within 30 days, every 3-6 months for 2 years, then every 6-12 months for up to 5 years.

02

Conditions studied

  • Borderline Resectable Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
03

Who can participate

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Age ≥ 18 old
  • Have histologically or cytologically confirmed pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) that is borderline resectable (BR) using the National Comprehensive Cancer Network criteria
  • Have a documented Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of ≤ 1
  • Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1,500 cells/uL without the use of hematopoietic growth factors
  • Platelet count ≥ 100,000 cells/uL
  • Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL
  • Plasma total bilirubin ≤ upper limit of normal (ULN) (biliary drainage is allowed for biliary obstruction)
  • Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≤ 2.5 x ULN
  • Creatine clearance of > 30 mL/min (per Cockroft-Gault equation)
  • Plasma albumin ≥ 3 g/dL
  • Have measurable or evaluable disease per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1 criteria
  • Participants of child-bearing potential must agree to use adequate contraceptive methods (e.g., hormonal or barrier method of birth control; abstinence) prior to study entry. Should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while she or her partner is participating in this study, she should inform her treating physician immediately
  • Participant must understand the investigational nature of this study and sign an independent ethics committee/institutional review board approved written informed consent form (ICF) prior to receiving any study related procedure

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients who have had previous chemotherapy or radiotherapy for PDAC
  • Patients with resectable, unresectable, or metastatic PDAC
  • Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements
  • Pregnant or nursing female participants
  • Unwilling or unable to follow protocol requirements
  • Any condition which in the investigator's opinion deems the participant an unsuitable candidate to receive study drug
04

Study design

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

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Treatment (NALIRIFOX)

    Patients receive liposomal irinotecan IV over 90 minutes, oxaliplatin IV over 120 minutes, leucovorin IV over 30 minutes and fluorouracil IV over 48 hours on day 1 of each cycle. Cycles repeat every 14 days for 4-8 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients undergo surgical resection 4-8 weeks after the last treatment dose. Starting 4-12 weeks after surgery, patients receive liposomal irinotecan, oxaliplatin, leucovorin, and fluorouracil for up to 4 additional cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Additionally, patients undergo CT and blood sample collection throughout the study.

    Procedure: Biospecimen Collection · Procedure: Computed Tomography · Drug: Fluorouracil · Drug: Irinotecan Sucrosofate · Drug: Leucovorin Calcium · Drug: Oxaliplatin · Procedure: Surgical Procedure

Interventions

  • ProcedureBiospecimen Collection

    Undergo blood sample collection

    Also known as: Biological Sample Collection, Biospecimen Collected, Specimen Collection

  • ProcedureComputed Tomography

    Undergo CT

    Also known as: CAT, CAT Scan, Computed Axial Tomography, Computerized Axial Tomography, Computerized axial tomography (procedure), Computerized Tomography, Computerized Tomography (CT) scan, CT, CT Scan, tomography

  • DrugFluorouracil

    Given IV

    Also known as: 5 Fluorouracil, 5 Fluorouracilum, 5 FU, 5-Fluoro-2,4(1H, 3H)-pyrimidinedione, 5-Fluorouracil, 5-Fluracil, 5-Fu, 5FU, AccuSite, Carac, Fluoro Uracil, Fluouracil, Flurablastin, Fluracedyl, Fluracil, Fluril, Fluroblastin, Ribofluor, Ro 2-9757, Ro-2-9757

  • DrugIrinotecan Sucrosofate

    Given IV

    Also known as: inotecan Hydrochloride as Sucrosulfate Salt Form Liposomal Formulation, Irinotecan Liposome, Irinotecan Sucrosofate Liposome, Irinotecan Sucrosofate-containing Pegylated Liposomal Formulation, MM 398, MM-398, MM398, nal-IRI, Nanoliposomal Irinotecan, Nanoliposomal Irinotecan as Sucrosofate, Nanoparticle Liposome Formulation of Irinotecan, Onivyde, PEP 02, PEP-02, PEP02

  • DrugLeucovorin Calcium

    Given IV

    Also known as: Adinepar, Calcifolin, Calcium (6S)-Folinate, Calcium Folinate, Calcium Leucovorin, Calfolex, Calinat, Cehafolin, Citofolin, Citrec, Citrovorum Factor, Cromatonbic Folinico, Dalisol, Disintox, Divical, Ecofol, Emovis, Factor, Citrovorum, Flynoken A, Folaren, Folaxin, FOLI-cell, Foliben, Folidan, Folidar, Folinac, Folinate Calcium, folinic acid, Folinic Acid Calcium Salt Pentahydrate, Folinoral, Folinvit, Foliplus, Folix, Imo, Lederfolat, Lederfolin, Leucosar, leucovorin, Rescufolin, Rescuvolin, Tonofolin, Wellcovorin

  • DrugOxaliplatin

    Given IV

    Also known as: 1-OHP, Ai Heng, Aiheng, Dacotin, Dacplat, Diaminocyclohexane Oxalatoplatinum, Eloxatin, Eloxatine, Elplat, JM 83, JM-83, JM83, Oxalatoplatin, Oxalatoplatinum, RP 54780, RP-54780, RP54780, SR 96669, SR-96669, SR96669

  • ProcedureSurgical Procedure

    Undergo surgical resection

    Also known as: Operation, Surgery, Surgery Type, Surgery, NOS, Surgical, Surgical Intervention, Surgical Interventions, Surgical Procedures, Type of Surgery

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Major pathologic response (MPR)

    MPR will be defined as either complete pathologic response or minimal residual cancer based on the American College of Pathology system. The MPR status will be summarized using frequencies and relative frequencies.

    Time frame: Up to 5 years

Secondary outcomes

  1. Objective response rate (ORR)

    Will be assessed using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors 1.1. ORR will be summarized using frequencies and relative frequencies. Estimates of rates will be obtained with 90% credible regions obtained by Jeffrey's prior method.

    Time frame: Up to 5 years

  2. CA19-9 response rate

    Will be summarized using frequencies and relative frequencies. Estimates of rates will be obtained with 90% credible regions obtained by Jeffrey's prior method.

    Time frame: Up to 5 years

  3. Carcinoembryonic antigen response rate

    Will be summarized using frequencies and relative frequencies. Estimates of rates will be obtained with 90% credible regions obtained by Jeffrey's prior method

    Time frame: Up to 5 years

  4. Positive margin resection rate

    Will be summarized using frequencies and relative frequencies. Estimates of rates will be obtained with 90% credible regions obtained by Jeffrey's prior method

    Time frame: Up to 5 years

  5. Disease-free survival

    Will be summarized using standard Kaplan-Meier methods, where estimates of the median times will be obtained with 90% confidence intervals.

    Time frame: From start of neoadjuvant therapy until disease progression, subsequent therapy, death due to any cause, or last follow-up, assessed up to 5 years

  6. Overall survival

    Will be summarized using standard Kaplan-Meier methods, where estimates of the median times will be obtained with 90% confidence intervals

    Time frame: From start of neoadjuvant therapy until death due to any cause, or last follow-up, assessed up to 5 years

  7. Incidence of adverse events

    Will be described and graded using National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5.0. Will be summarized by attribution and grade using frequencies and relative frequencies.

    Time frame: Up to 30 days after the last intervention, or until the event has resolved, the study participant is lost to follow-up, the start of a new treatment, or until the study investigator assesses the event(s) as stable or irreversible

06

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • Roswell Park Cancer Institute
    Buffalo, New York 14263, United States
    Recruiting
07

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06821997
Lead sponsor
Roswell Park Cancer Institute
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Feb 12, 2025
Start date
Mar 2, 2026
Primary completion
Mar 1, 2027 (estimated)
Completion
Mar 1, 2027 (estimated)
Last update
Sep 21, 2026

Study contacts

Christos Fountzilas
principal investigator · Roswell Park Cancer Institute

Oversight

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

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