Clinical trial Recruiting at 1 site Early Phase 1 Interventional Ages 18 and up

Nelitolimod immunotherapy given to the liver before planned removal of colorectal cancer metastases

Official title: INFINITIVE: ImmuNotherapy For PatIeNts wIth colorecTal LIVer MEtastases

Run by Northwell Health · NCT07172282 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This will test whether giving nelitolimod directly into the liver before surgery can boost the immune response against colorectal cancer that has spread to the liver.

More Colorectal Cancer Metastatic trials

Quick facts

PhaseEarly Phase 1
Study typeInterventional
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
Enrollment10 (estimated)
SponsorNorthwell Health
Academic / other
Drugs / interventionschemotherapy, prednisone
Locations1 site (Lake Success, New York)
StatusRecruiting
StartedNovember 17, 2025
Main results expectedNovember 1, 2027
Study endsNovember 1, 2028
Registry record updatedMarch 19, 2026
Trial IDNCT07172282 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Ideal candidates are adults with colorectal adenocarcinoma confined to the liver that is judged resectable, who have mismatch repair–proficient (MSS) tumors, and who can safely undergo regional catheter delivery and planned liver surgery.

Probably not a fit

Patients with unresectable or widely metastatic disease, known mismatch repair–deficient/MSI-high tumors, or those who are poor surgical or catheterization candidates are unlikely to benefit from this protocol.

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This early-phase study will enroll up to 10 adults with colorectal adenocarcinoma limited to resectable liver metastases to receive regional nelitolimod delivered via a TriNav pressure-enabled drug delivery catheter prior to planned liver resection. The primary aims are to determine safety and feasibility of the regional catheter administration and to confirm that the investigational treatment does not prevent timely, safe surgical removal of liver lesions. Investigators will monitor adverse events, surgical outcomes, and tissue- and blood-based immune markers to see whether the tumor microenvironment shows signs of immune activation. The protocol restricts enrollment to mismatch repair–proficient (MSS/pMMR) tumors and patients who are candidates for curative-intent liver resection.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could modify the immune environment in liver metastases to help the body fight tumor cells and possibly improve outcomes from surgery.

How similar studies have gone: Systemic and intratumoral TLR9 agonists have produced immune activation in other cancer studies, but regional preoperative delivery of nelitolimod to the liver via a pressure-enabled catheter is a novel and only minimally studied approach.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Capable of giving signed informed consent, which includes compliance with the requirements and restrictions listed in the informed consent form (ICF) and in this protocol. A signed informed consent must be obtained prior to conducting any study-specific procedures.
* Male or female adults 18 years of age or older on day of signing informed consent.
* Radiographically confirmed metastatic adenocarcinoma to the liver from a colon or rectum primary tumor that is amenable to resection. TXNXM1+
* Only participants with liver-limited, resectable metastatic disease are eligible for participation (ablations are allowed to achieve an R0 intention-to-treat outcome).
* Only participants with pMMR (mismatch repair-proficient)/MSS mCRC are eligible. Microsatellite status should be performed according to the local standard of practice. (e.g., immunohistochemistry \[IHC\] and/or polymerase chain reaction \[PCR\], next-generation sequencing). Subjects with unknown or indeterminant results for either test at the time of enrollment are not eligible at investigators discretion.
* Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) of 0 to 1.
* Patients with synchronous disease who are planned to undergo liver and resection of primary are allowed.
* Total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT) for rectal cancers allowed.
* In the event the patient has had prior oxaliplatin-based adjuvant chemotherapy after resection of primary tumor, a minimum interval of 6 months should have passed prior to enrollment into the study.
* Patients must have completed standard of care FOLFOX/ FOLFIRI/FOLFIRINOX as part of pre- operative systemic therapy.
* Meets resectability criteria (all criteria MUST be met):

  1. Tumors that can be resected completely (R0), while leaving an adequate future liver remnant (defined under c.)
  2. The ability to preserve two contiguous hepatic segments with preservation of adequate vascular inflow and outflow as well as biliary drainage
  3. The ability to preserve adequate future liver remnant (\>20 percent in a healthy liver; \>30 percent after chemotherapy)
* Hematologic parameters defined as:

  1. Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1000 cells/mm3
  2. Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm3
  3. Hemoglobin ≥ 8 g/dL
* Blood chemistry levels defined as:

  1. AST, ALT, alkaline phosphatase ≤5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
  2. Total bilirubin ≤2x the ULN. Patients with Gilbert Syndrome should have a serum bilirubin ≤ 4x ULN and a direct bilirubin ≤2x ULN to be eligible.
* Adequate renal function as estimated by glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) \>30 L/min determined based on the Cockcroft-Gault formula.
* Anticipated life expectancy greater than 6 months.
* Women of childbearing potential (WOCB) receiving systemic therapy should use effective contraception during treatment and for at least 9 months after the last investigational agent. Patients with partners who could become pregnant should use effective contraception during treatment and for 6 months after the last dose of investigational agent.

Exclusion Criteria:

* • Systemic therapy with immunosuppressive agents within 7 days or use of any investigational drug within 28 days before the start of trial treatment.

  * Prior exposure to any immune checkpoint blockade agent or any other immunomodulatory agent used as antineoplastic therapy for metastatic CRC.
  * Receipt of any organ transplantation, including allogeneic stem cell transplantation.
  * Active autoimmune disease that might deteriorate when receiving an immunostimulatory agent, such as rheumatoid arthritis, which in the opinion of the Investigator might impair the subject's tolerance or ability to participate in the trial.
  * Known severe hypersensitivity reactions to monoclonal antibodies.
  * Failure to recover from any other toxicity (other than neuropathy or immune-related toxicity) related to previous anticancer treatment to grade ≤2.
  * Subject is pregnant or breast feeding or planning to become pregnant while enrolled in the study, up to the final (end of treatment) visit.
  * Participants unable to undergo endovascular placement of TriNav PEDD catheter due to any reason.
  * Arterial or venous thrombotic or embolic events such as cerebrovascular accident (including transient ischemic attacks), deep vein thrombosis, or pulmonary embolism within 6 months before the start of study medication (except for adequately treated catheter-related venous thrombosis occurring more than 1 month before the start of study medication).
  * Congestive heart failure ≥ New York Heart Association (NYHA) class 2.
  * Unstable angina (angina symptoms at rest), new-onset angina (begun within the last 3 months), myocardial infarction less than 6 months before start of study drug.
  * Uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmias.
  * Poorly controlled hypertension, defined as blood pressure consistently above 150/90 mmHg despite optimal medical management.
  * Major surgical procedure or significant traumatic injury within 28 days before start of study medication. Note: If participants received major surgery, they must have recovered adequately from the toxicity and/or complications from the intervention prior to starting therapy.
  * Non-healing wound, non-healing ulcer, or non-healing bone fracture.
  * Participants with evidence or history of any bleeding diathesis, irrespective of severity.
  * Any hemorrhage or bleeding event NCI CTCAE Grade ≥ 3 within 28 days prior to the start of study medication.
  * Significant acute gastrointestinal disorders with diarrhea as a major symptom e.g., Crohn's disease, malabsorption, or NCI CTCAE grade ≥ 2 diarrhea of any etiology.
  * Participants with an active, known or suspected autoimmune disease. Participants with type I diabetes mellitus (T1DM), hypothyroidism only requiring hormone replacement, skin disorders (such as vitiligo, psoriasis, or alopecia) not requiring systemic treatment, or conditions not expected to recur in the absence of an external trigger are permitted to enroll.
  * Participants with a condition requiring systemic treatment with either corticosteroids (\>10 mg daily prednisone equivalent) or other immunosuppressive medications within 14 days of start of study treatment. Inhaled or topical steroids, and adrenal replacement steroid doses \>10 mg daily prednisone equivalent, are permitted in the absence of active autoimmune disease.
  * History of (non-infectious) pneumonitis that required steroids, current pneumonitis or interstitial lung disease.
  * Ongoing infection NCI-CTCAE grade \>2 requiring systemic therapy.
  * Known history of positive test for HIV or known AIDS.
  * Any known positive test result for hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) indicating presence of virus, e.g. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg, Australia antigen) positive, or Hepatitis C antibody (anti-HCV) positive (except if HCV-RNA negative).
  * Pregnant or lactating women.
  * Previous treatment with live vaccine within 30 days of planned start of study drugs (seasonal flu vaccines that do not contain a live virus are permitted).
  * Known history of allergy or hypersensitivity to study drug components.
  * History or current evidence of any condition, therapy, or laboratory abnormality that might confound the results of the trial or interfere with the participation for the full duration of the trial.
  * Any condition that would prohibit the understanding or rendering of informed consent.
  * Any medical condition that in the opinion of the investigator would interfere with the patient's safety or compliance while on trial.

Where it's running

  • RJ Zuckerberg
    Lake Success, New York, United States
    Recruiting

Study contacts

Similar studies

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How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.