Immunotherapy drug shows promise in bile duct cancer trial

NCT ID NCT04924062

Completed Disease control Sponsor: Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This Phase 3 trial tested whether adding the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab to standard chemotherapy (gemcitabine and cisplatin) helps people with advanced bile duct cancer live longer. The study enrolled 158 Chinese adults with cancer that had spread or could not be removed by surgery. Researchers compared overall survival and cancer progression between those who got the immunotherapy combo and those who got a placebo plus chemo.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: pembrolizumab (an immunotherapy drug) plus gemcitabine and cisplatin (chemotherapy)
What this could lead to: If successful, this combination could become a new first-line treatment option for advanced biliary tract cancer, potentially improving survival.
What could go wrong: This is a Phase 3 trial, but results may not apply to all populations. Immunotherapy can cause immune-related side effects, and the benefit over chemo alone may be modest.

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.

autosomal dominant Parkinson disease 4 bile duct carcinoma bile duct neoplasm biliary tract cancer cholangiocarcinoma gallbladder neoplasm

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

BILIARY TRACT CARCINOMA

Contacts and locations

Locations

900 Hospital of the Joint ( Site 0137)

Fuzhou, Fujian, 350025, China
Anhui Provincial Hospital ( Site 0140)

Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China
Beijing Cancer Hospital ( Site 0138)

Beijing, Beijing Municipality, 100036, China
First Affiliated Hospital of The Third Military Medical University ( Site 0130)

Chongqing, Chongqing Municipality, 400038, China
Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center ( Site 0160)

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, 201315, China
Fujian Provincial Cancer Hospital ( Site 0154)

Fuzhou, Fujian, 350014, China
Guangdong Provincial People s Hospital ( Site 0161)

Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital ( Site 0133)

Harbin, Heilongjiang, 610000, China
Hunan Cancer Hospital ( Site 0132)

Changsha, Hunan, 410013, China
Hunan Provincial People Hospital ( Site 0142)

Changsha, Hunan, 410005, China
Peking Union Medical College Hospital ( Site 0150)

Beijing, Beijing Municipality, 100730, China
Renji Hospital Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine ( Site 0158)

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, 200127, China
Tangdu Hospital ( Site 0146)

Xi’an, Shanxi, 710038, China
The 81st Hospital of PLA ( Site 0128)

Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210031, China
The First Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University ( Site 0136)

Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, China
The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi an Jiaotong University ( Site 0145)

Xi’an, Shanxi, 710048, China
The First Hospital of Jilin University ( Site 0131)

Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China
The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University ( Site 0157)

Changsha, Hunan, 410013, China
Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital ( Site 0155)

Tianjin, Tianjin Municipality, 300060, China
West China Hospital of Sichuan University ( Site 0147)

Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
Zhejiang Cancer Hospital ( Site 0134)

Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310022, China
Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University ( Site 0129)

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, 200032, China

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