Virus therapy aims to boost chemo in tough pancreatic cancer
NCT ID NCT07701486
First seen Jul 14, 2026 · Last updated Jul 28, 2026 · Updated 5 times
Summary
This trial tests whether a virus called VCN-01, given more frequently, is safe and tolerable when combined with standard chemotherapy (nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine) for people with newly diagnosed stage IV pancreatic cancer that has spread. Participants receive up to three doses of VCN-01, each followed by two cycles of chemo. The study monitors safety and how the virus behaves in the body.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- an oncolytic virus called VCN-01 (zabilugene almadenorepvec) plus standard chemotherapy (nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this approach could improve outcomes for people with advanced pancreatic cancer by making chemotherapy more effective.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very early, small trial (6 people) focused on safety, not proof of effectiveness. The virus may cause side effects or fail to show benefit.
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
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Phase 1/2
Runs two stages together: safety and dose first, then whether the treatment works.
- Participants
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About 6 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Aug 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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 Hide 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: * Written informed consent obtained prior to initiating any trial-specific procedures or assessments. * Male or female patients aged 18 years or over. * Patients with histologically or cytologically confirmed pancreatic adenocarcinoma that is metastatic (stage IV) at diagnosis and who have not received any treatment for their pancreatic cancer. * Patients must be able to receive their first dose of VCN-01 ≤6 weeks after their metastatic pancreatic cancer diagnosis. * Patients must have at least one measurable tumor lesion that can be imaged for assessments according to RECIST 1.1. * ECOG performance status of 0 or 1 at enrollment. * Must be willing to comply with the trial intervention, including prophylactic medications, and procedures. * Adequate baseline organ function (hematologic, liver, renal) within the 7 days prior to enrollment: Hematology: * Leukocytes ≥3.0x103 mcL * Absolute neutrophil count ≥1.5x10⁹/L * Hemoglobin ≥9 g/dL * Platelets ≥100x10⁹/L Coagulation: * Prothrombin time or international normalized ratio ≤1x upper limit of normal (ULN) * Activated partial thromboplastin time ≤1.2xULN Hepatic: * Total bilirubin ≤1.5xULN * ALT and AST ≤2.5xULN (\<5xULN is acceptable if liver metastases are present) Renal: * Serum creatinine ≤1.5xULN; or, * If serum creatinine \>1.5xULN, an estimated creatinine clearance \>50 mL/min using the Cockcroft and Gault formula Nutritional: • Serum Albumin ≥30 g/L \- Adequate left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥ 50% measured by ECHO or MUGA and QT interval corrected by Fridericia (QTcF) assessment ≤ 450 ms for men or ≤ 470 ms for women. Exclusion Criteria: * Unwillingness to complete the trial procedures for geographic, psychiatric, or social reasons. * Patient has previously received treatment for their metastatic pancreatic cancer with surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy or investigational therapy; except that: * Palliative radiotherapy for pain is permitted; * Placement of a biliary stent/tube is permitted. * Patients who, in the opinion of the investigator, have symptoms or signs suggesting clinically unacceptable deterioration during the Screening Period. * Active infection or other serious illness or autoimmune disease at the moment of enrollment. Active infection includes: • Tuberculosis (TB; clinical evaluation that includes clinical history, physical examination and radiographic findings, and TB testing in line with local practice. * Patients with past or resolved TB are eligible to participate. • Hepatitis B Virus (HBV; positive HBV surface antigen \[HBsAg\] result). * HBV carriers (patients positive for HBsAg without an active infection) are not eligible to participate; * Patients requiring antiviral medicines for HBV prophylaxis or treatment are not eligible to participate; * Patients with a past or resolved HBV infection (defined as the presence of hepatitis B core antibody \[HBcAb\] and absence of HBsAg) are eligible to participate provided that blood HBV DNA is negative at enrollment. • Hepatitis C Virus (HCV; positive HCV Ribonucleic acid \[RNA\]). * Patients requiring antiviral medicines for HCV prophylaxis or treatment are not eligible to participate; * Patients positive for HCV antibody are eligible to participate (only if polymerase chain reaction is negative for HCV RNA). * Human immunodeficiency virus (positive HIV 1/2 antibodies) Active infection or other serious illness or autoimmune disease at the moment of enrollment. Active infection includes: * Tuberculosis (TB; clinical evaluation that includes clinical history, physical examination and radiographic findings, and TB testing in line with local practice. \- Patients with past or resolved TB are eligible to participate. * Hepatitis B Virus (HBV; positive HBV surface antigen \[HBsAg\] result). * HBV carriers (patients positive for HBsAg without an active infection) are not eligible to participate; * Patients requiring antiviral medicines for HBV prophylaxis or treatment are not eligible to participate; * Patients with a past or resolved HBV infection (defined as the presence of hepatitis B core antibody \[HBcAb\] and absence of HBsAg) are eligible to participate provided that blood HBV DNA is negative at enrollment. * Hepatitis C Virus (HCV; positive HCV Ribonucleic acid \[RNA\]). * Patients requiring antiviral medicines for HCV prophylaxis or treatment are not eligible to participate; * Patients positive for HCV antibody are eligible to participate (only if polymerase chain reaction is negative for HCV RNA). * Human immunodeficiency virus (positive HIV 1/2 antibodies) * Known chronic liver disease (e.g. liver cirrhosis, liver fibrosis, chronic hepatitis); except that: * Patients with fatty liver disease are eligible to participate if their liver transaminases meet inclusion criterion 8. * Concurrent malignant hematologic or solid disease; except that: * Patients with a prior history of cancer are eligible to participate if they are in complete remission from their prior cancer for at least 3 years. * Patients with Li Fraumeni syndrome or with previously known retinoblastoma protein pathway germline deficiency. * Patients with untreated brain metastases and/or leptomeningeal carcinomatosis with progressive symptoms despite corticosteroid coverage; except that: * Patients with brain metastases with stable symptoms are eligible to participate. * Patients with previous pneumonitis or interstitial lung disease. * Patients with pre-existing sensory neuropathy \>G1 * Clinical evidence of deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism or arterial thromboembolic event during the Screening Period. * Patients with superficial vein thrombosis are eligible to participate. * Patients with uncontrolled coagulopathy. * Any other condition, disease, metabolic dysfunction (e.g., uncontrolled diabetes mellitus), active or uncontrolled infection/inflammation, physical examination finding, mental state or clinical laboratory finding that would contraindicate participation in the clinical trial due to concerns over safety or potential non-compliance with clinical trial procedures. * A female patient, who is pregnant or lactating. * Female patients of reproductive potential must agree to use a highly effective method of birth control. Male patients must agree to use condoms. * Treatment with live attenuated vaccines in the last 3 weeks before the administration of the IMP. * Treatment with an adenovirus type-5 (Ad5)-based COVID-vaccine in the last 12 weeks before the administration of the IMP. * Treatment with another investigational agent within five of that investigational agent's half-lives prior to the administration of the IMP. * Chronic immunosuppressive therapy; except that: * Inhaled corticosteroids are permitted; * Oral or IV corticosteroids with a dose lower than 10 mg prednisone or equivalent/day are permitted; * Dexamethasone up to a maximum dose of 1 mg/day is permitted. * Known allergy or hypersensitivity to any of the trial-specific interventions or any of their excipients. * Subjects, for whom first line treatment options other than the combination nab-paclitaxel/gemcitabine are recommended by the investigator.
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Hospital 12 de Octubre
RECRUITINGMadrid, Madrid, 28041, Spain
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