Virus hunts liver tumors before chemo strikes

NCT ID NCT01171651

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 14, 2026 · Last updated Jul 15, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tests a cancer-killing virus called JX-594 (Pexa-Vec) in people with advanced liver cancer that cannot be removed by surgery. Participants receive the virus through an IV and then directly into liver tumors, followed by the standard drug sorafenib. The goal is to see if this combination is safe and tolerable.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
JX-594 (Pexa-Vec), a cancer-killing virus, followed by sorafenib tablets
What this could lead to
If successful, this approach could offer a new way to treat advanced liver cancer by combining a virus that targets tumors with standard therapy.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-phase safety study, so it may not show clear benefit. The virus can cause flu-like symptoms and other side effects, and results may not apply to all patients.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Phase 2

Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.

Participants

25 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

May 2009

Finished

Sep 2012

Lead sponsor

A company

The lead sponsor is a pharmaceutical, biotech, or medical-device company.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Histological confirmation or clinical/laboratory diagnosis of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) * Cancer is not surgically resectable for cure * Child Pugh A or B * Performance Score: KPS score of ≥ 70 * Platelet count ≥ 50,000 plts/mm3 * Total bilirubin ≤ 2.5 x ULN * AST, ALT \< 5.0 x ULN * Acceptable coagulation status: INR ≤ 1.5 x ULN * Acceptable kidney function: Serum creatinine \< 2.0 mg/dL * Sorafenib naive or refractory to sorafenib therapy Tumor Status: At least one intrahepatic tumor, and at least ≥50% of the total intrahepatic viable tumor mass, measurable by CT and injectable under imaging-guidance (note: injected and/or viable tumors must be previously untreated or ≥20% increase in size since preceding local-regional treatment). Exclusion Criteria: * Known contraindications to sorafenib * Pregnant or nursing an infant * Significant immunodeficiency due to underlying illness (e.g. hematological malignancies, congenital immunodeficiencies and/or HIV infection/AIDS) and/or medication (e.g. high-dose systemic corticosteroids) * History of exfoliative skin condition (e.g. severe eczema, ectopic dermatitis, or similar skin disorder) that at some stage has required systemic therapy * Clinically significant and/or rapidly accumulating ascites, peri-cardial and/or pleural effusions * Severe or unstable cardiac disease * Current, known CNS malignancy * Use of anti-platelet or anti-coagulation medication * Use of the following anti-viral agents: ribavirin, adefovir, cidofovir (within 7 days prior to the first treatment), and PEG-IFN (within 14 days prior to the first treatment). * Patients with household contacts who meet any of these criteria unless alternate living arrangements can be made during the patient's active dosing period and for 7 days following the last dose of study medication: * Pregnant or nursing an infant * Children \< 12 months old * History of exfoliative skin condition that at some stage has required systemic therapy * Significant immunodeficiency due to underlying illness (e.g. HIV/AIDS) and/or medication

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Carcinoma, hepatocellular are added.

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

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

  • Pusan National University Hospital

    Busan, South Korea

  • Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital

    Yangsan, South Korea

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.