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RecruitingNCT07658196TIPCUpdated Aug 27, 2026

TLR9 Immunotherapy for Peritoneal Carcinomatosis

A Phase 1 interventional study of ACM-CpG in Malignant Ascites, Colorectal Adenocarcinoma and Peritoneal (Metastatic) Cancer, sponsored by Brown University. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-08-27.

Sponsored by Brown University · Phase 1, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 1
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
24
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine the safety and efficacy of of ACM-CpG for inoperable peritoneal metastases or malignant ascites. The main questions it aims to answer are:

  • To determine the safety and maximum tolerated dose (MTD) or optimal biologic dose (OBD) of intraperitoneal injection(s) of ACM-CpG for inoperable peritoneal metastases or malignant ascites? Researchers will assign treatment levels using escalating doses of ACM-CpG Therapy.

Participants will:

  • Will receive at least one dose of ACM-CpG therapy on Day 1 of a 28-day treatment cycle.
  • May receive up to 2 additional injections if they have clinically stable or responsive disease.
  • Must visit the clinic on Days 1, 4, 7, 10, 14, 21, and 28 for checkups and tests.
  • Will have a CT scan or MRI performed every 8 weeks for 3 scans and then continue to receive scans every 12 weeks to monitor their disease.
Read the detailed description

Escalating doses of ACM-CpG Therapy will use a standard 3+3 design.

02

Conditions studied

  • Malignant Ascites
  • Colorectal Adenocarcinoma
  • Peritoneal (Metastatic) Cancer
  • Appendiceal Adenocarcinoma

Keywords

  • Metastatic disease must be primarily located in the peritoneal cavity
  • ACM-CpG
  • TLR9
  • Malignant Ascites
  • Peritoneal Carcinomatosis,
  • Appendiceal Adenocarcinoma
  • CRC
03

Who can participate

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Patients eligible for inclusion in this study must meet all of the following criteria:

    1. Male or female patients age ≥ 18 years of age at the time of informed consent
    2. Must be able to provide written informed consent, stating an understanding of the procedures and investigational nature of the study treatment, and willingness to comply with study requirements
    3. Must have documented CRC or appendiceal adenocarcinoma peritoneal carcinomatosis or malignant ascites. Primary tumor may be intact and limited liver and/or lung disease is permitted
    4. Must have evaluable disease by physical examination, serum tumor markers, radiologic assessment, or laparoscopic visual assessment
    5. Must have a life expectancy of ≥ 12 weeks as estimated by the investigator
    6. Must have an ECOG status of ≤ 2
    7. Patients with acceptable laboratory values defined as:

      • Estimated creatinine clearance (calculated using Cockcroft-Gault formula, or measured) ≥ 60 mL/min, not dialysis dependent
      • Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/dl, unless elevated bilirubin is clearly related to Gilbert syndrome (and total bilirubin \< 6.0 mg/dl)
      • Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≤ 3.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN)
      • Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≤ 3.5 x ULN
      • Absolute neutrophil count > 1.0 x 109/L (must be independent of blood product administration)
      • Platelet count > 100 x 109/L (must be independent of blood product administration)
      • Hemoglobin ≥ 8 g/dL (must be independent of blood product administration)
    8. Surgically sterile patients or patients of childbearing potential (CBP) who agree to use highly effective methods of contraception during study dosing and for 6 months after last dose of study drug
    9. All other relevant medical conditions must be well-managed and stable, in the opinion of the investigator, for at least 28 days prior to administration of study drug

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Has received prior TLR9 therapy
  2. Has received chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or biological cancer therapy within 21 days or 5 half-lives (whichever is shorter) of the start of treatment
  3. Has received an investigational agent within 28 days of the start of treatment
  4. Has received a commercial vaccine (flu, COVID, etc.) within 2 weeks of C1D1
  5. Has any unresolved toxicity ≥ Grade 2 from previous anti-cancer therapy, except for stable chronic toxicities (≤ Grade 3) that are not expected to resolve
  6. Has a history of histologically confirmed metastases outside of the peritoneal cavity, liver, or lungs
  7. Has high volume liver or lung metastases, defined as > 50% replacement of the liver volume by metastatic disease or > 5 lung lesions greater than 1 cm in size
  8. Tumor causing biliary obstruction not amenable to stenting or percutaneous drainage
  9. Ongoing or untreated intra-abdominal infection or bowel obstruction
  10. Has known, clinically active Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), or Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (Note: Testing is not required)
  11. Receiving continuous systemic corticosteroid therapy (≥ 10 mg/day of prednisolone or equivalent)
  12. Clinically significant cardiac disease or impaired cardiac function, including any of the following:

    • A history of newly diagnosed transmural myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction, or pulmonary embolism within 6 months, except those approved by the medical monitor
    • A history of newly diagnosed deep vein thrombosis (DVT) within 3 months
    • Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) \< 50%
    • QTc >480 msec
  13. Active bacterial, viral, or fungal infection: patients with ongoing use of prophylactic antibiotics, antiviral agents, or antifungal agents remain eligible as long as there is no evidence of active infection
  14. Other active malignancy within 2 years excluding cutaneous squamous or basal cell carcinomas
  15. Any medical condition that would, in the investigator's judgment, prevent the patient's participation in the clinical study due to safety concerns, compliance with clinical study procedures or interpretation of study results
  16. History of hypersensitivity to TLR9 agonists
  17. Pregnant, likely to become pregnant, or lactating women (where pregnancy is defined as the state of a female after conception and until the termination of gestation)
04

Study design

Phase
Phase 1
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Sequential assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
24 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    ACM-CpG

    Drug: ACM-CpG

Interventions

  • DrugACM-CpG

    The dose of ACM-CpG therapy to be infused by intraperitoneal injection will be dependent upon the dose level being delivered at the time of patient enrollment. Dose Levels C1D1 ACM-CpG Dose -1a (step down dose) 0.1 mg 1. (starting dose) 0.25 mg 2. 0.5 mg 3. 1.0 mg 4. 2.0 mg 5. 4.0 mg 6. 8.0 mg 7. (optional) 10.0 mg

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Incidence of Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events [Safety and Tolerability]

    includes dose limiting toxicities (DLTs), Serious adverse events (SAEs), hospitalizations, CRS, neurotoxicity, and clinically significant laboratory abnormalities

    Time frame: From enrollment to 30 days post the last dose of ACM-CpG

Secondary outcomes

  1. Progression Free Survival (PFS)

    Time frame: From enrollment to disease progression up to 6 months post end of treatment

  2. Disease control rate (DCR)

    The percentage of patients who have achieved complete response, partial response and stable disease

    Time frame: From enrollment to End of follow-up (up to 6 months post end of treatment)

  3. Overall Survival (OS)

    Time frame: From enrollment to End of follow-up (up to 6 months post end of treatment)

  4. Quality of life composite index

    Time frame: From enrollment to 30 days post the last dose of ACM-CpG

06

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • Rhode Island and the Miriam Hospitals (Brown University Health)
    Providence, Rhode Island 02903/02906, United States
    Recruiting
07

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07658196
Lead sponsor
Brown University
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jun 18, 2026
Start date
Aug 25, 2026
Primary completion
Jul 2028 (estimated)
Completion
Jul 2030 (estimated)
Last update
Aug 27, 2026

Study contacts

Roxanne Wood
Contact
roxanne_wood@brown.edu
401-863-3000
Khaldoun Almhanna, MD
principal investigator · Brown University Health

Oversight

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

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