Can a Three-Drug combo outsmart Hard-to-Treat colorectal cancer?
NCT ID NCT06484153
First seen Aug 18, 2026 · Last updated Aug 18, 2026
Summary
This phase 2 trial is testing whether combining three drugs—fruquintinib, pirfenidone, and pembrolizumab—can help people with advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer that has not responded to standard treatments. The study includes 25 participants with a specific type of tumor (pMMR/MSS) that typically does not respond well to immunotherapy alone. The goal is to see if this combination can slow cancer progression and improve survival, while also checking if pirfenidone helps change the tumor environment to make the immunotherapy more effective.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- A combination of three drugs: fruquintinib (a targeted therapy), pirfenidone (an anti-fibrotic drug), and pembrolizumab (an immunotherapy).
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this combination could offer a new treatment option for people with advanced colorectal cancer who have run out of standard options, potentially slowing tumor growth and extending life.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-phase trial with only 25 participants, so results may not apply to a larger population. The combination may cause significant side effects, and it is not yet known if it will be more effective than existing treatments.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
RECRUITINGWuhan, Hubei, 430000, China
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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