New drug combo shows promise for untreatable liver tumors
NCT ID NCT05507632
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This phase 2 trial tests a combination of two drugs (donafenib and sintilimab) plus a procedure called TACE in 48 adults with advanced liver cancer that cannot be surgically removed. The goal is to see if this triple therapy can shrink tumors and control the disease. The study is active but no longer recruiting, and results are still being analyzed.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Donafenib plus Sintilimab combined with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE)
- What this could lead to
- If this works, it could offer a new treatment option for people with advanced liver cancer that cannot be removed by surgery, potentially shrinking tumors and extending life.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase study with only 48 participants and no comparison group. The combination may cause significant side effects, and success in this trial does not guarantee broader effectiveness.
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 2
Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.
- Participants
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48 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Aug 2022
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
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 to 75 years
- 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: * The patient voluntarily joins the study and signs an informed consent; * Aged 18 to 75 years, both men and women; * Clinically or pathologically confirmed Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage B or C HCC, not suitable for radical treatment, and no prior systemic therapy for liver cancer; * At least one measurable lesion according to mRECIST, defined as a spiral computed tomography (CT) long diameter ≥10 mm or lymph node short diameter ≥15 mm; * Child-Pugh score small or equal to 7 points (Child-Pugh A-B); * Single lesion \<10 cm in greatest dimension and tumor burden \<50% of liver volume; * Must be able to swallow tablets; * ECOG score: 0 to 1 (according to the ECOG score classification); * The expected survival is longer than 12 weeks; * The laboratory parameters meets the following requirements: Absolute neutrophil count \>= 1.5 x 10\^9 / L; Platelets \>= 50 x 10\^9 / L; Hemoglobin \>= 80 g / L; serum albumin \>= 28 g / L; Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) \<= 1 x ULN (if abnormalities should be considered at the same time FT3, FT4 levels, patients with FT3 and FT4 levels in normal range can also be enrolled); bilirubin \<= 1.5 x ULN (within 7 days prior to the first dose); ALT \<= 5 x ULN and AST \<= 5 x ULN (within 7 days prior to the first dose); AKP \<= 2.5 x ULN; serum creatinine \<= 1.5 x ULN; * For female that non-surgical sterilization or in childbearing age need to use a medically approved contraceptive (such as an intrauterine device, contraceptive or condom) during the study period and within 3 months after the end of the study treatment period; For female that non-surgical sterilization or in childbearing age must have a negative serum or urine HCG test within 72 hours prior to study enrollment; and must be non-lactating; for male patients whose partner in a childbearing age, effective methods of contraception should be given during the trial and at the end of Sintilimab injection. Exclusion Criteria: * Any tumor ≥ 10 cm in greatest dimension or tumor involvement ≥ 50% of the liver volume; * Receive local treatment for HCC((e.g.,TACE, TAE, HAIC or radiotherapy); Ablation and resection are permitted if performed \>4 weeks before the first dose of study intervention; * The patient has any active auto-immune disease or a history of auto-radioimmune disease; * Evidence of hepatic decompensation including ascites, gastrointestinal bleeding or hepatic encephalopathy; * The patient is using immunosuppressive agents or systemic hormonal therapy for immunosuppression purposes (dose \> 10 mg/day of prednisone or other therapeutic hormones) and continues to be used within 2 weeks prior to enrollment; * Known or suspected allergy to the investigational agents or any agent given in association with this trial; * Known central nervous system tumors including metastatic brain disease; * History of organ allograft; * Ascites with clinical symptoms; * The intrahepatic neoplasms showed diffuse changes; * Suffering from hypertension, and cannot be well controlled by antihypertensive drugs (systolic blood pressure \>= 140mmHg or diastolic blood pressure \>=90 mmHg); * Suffering heart diseases with clinical symptoms or those not well controlled, such as:(1) Heart failure in NYHA class 2 or higher;(2) Unstable angina;(3) Myocardial infarction occurred within 1 year;(4) Clinically symptomatic supraventricular or ventricular arrhythmia requiring treatment or intervention;(5) Tc \> 450ms (male); QTc \> 470ms (female). * Abnormal coagulation (INR\>2.0, PT extension time \>4s), bleeding tendency or being treated with thrombolytic or anticoagulant therapy, allowing prophylactic use of low-dose aspirin and low-molecular-weight heparin; * Evidence of bleeding diathesis; Patients with clinically significant gastrointestinal bleeding within 3 months prior to study entry. * Events of arterial/venous thrombosis occurring within the first 6 months of enrollment, such as cerebrovascular accidents (including transient ischemic attacks, cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral infarction), deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism; * Known history of hereditary or acquired bleeding and thrombotic tendencies (e.g., hemophiliacs, coagulopathy, thrombocytopenia, etc.); * Had intestinal obstruction and/or had clinical signs or symptoms of GI obstruction within 6 months prior to the start of study treatment, including incomplete obstruction related to pre-existing conditions or requiring routine parenteral hydration, parenteral nutrition, or tube feeding; * Urine routine indicates that urine protein \>= ++ and 24-hour urine protein amount \> 1.0g was confirmed; * The patient has active infection, unexplained fever (\>=38.5 degree C) within 3 days before administration, or baseline white blood cell count \> 15 x 10\^9/L; * Patients with congenital or acquired immunodeficiency (such as HIV-infected patients); Concurrent hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection without initiation of antiviral therapy. Subjects who initiated anti-HBV and anti-HCV treatment prior to enrollment are eligible; * The patient has had other malignant tumors in the past 3 years or at the same time (except for cured skin basal cell carcinoma and cervical carcinoma in situ); * Palliative radiotherapy for non-target lesions to control symptoms is permitted and must be completed at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the study treatment. The adverse events caused by radiotherapy have not recovered to \<= CTCAE 1; * Patients have previously received other anti-PD-1 antibody therapy or other immunotherapy against PD-1/PD-L1, or have received targeted therapies (e.g., sorafenib, lenvatinib) before; * Inoculation of a live vaccine within less than 4 weeks prior to study or possibly during the study period; * Pregnant or lactating women, or women of childbearing age who are unwilling to take contraceptive measures; * According to the investigators, the patient has other factors that may affect the results of the study or lead to the termination of the study, such as alcohol abuse, drug abuse, other serious diseases (including mental illness) requiring combined treatment, and serious laboratory tests, abnormalities, accompanied by factors such as family or society, which may affect the safety of enrolled patients.
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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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Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University
Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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