Pirfenidone plus PD-1 inhibitor with or without targeted radiotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer
Official title: Phase II Study Evaluating the Safety, Tolerability, and Efficacy of Pirfenidone and PD-1 Inhibitor With or Without Hypofractionated Radiotherapy in Patients With Advanced, Refractory pMMR/MSS Colorectal Cancer
Run by Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology · NCT07644286 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study tests whether combining pirfenidone with a PD-1 inhibitor, with or without hypofractionated radiotherapy, is safe and helps people with unresectable or metastatic pMMR/MSS colorectal cancer who have exhausted standard therapies.
Quick facts
| Phase | Phase 2 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Ages | 18 Years to 75 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 48 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Academic / other |
| Drugs / interventions | Chemotherapy, prednisone |
| Locations | 1 site (Wuhan, Hubei) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | December 1, 2025 |
| Main results expected | January 25, 2027 |
| Study ends | December 25, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | June 12, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07644286 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults 18-75 with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic pMMR/MSS colorectal cancer who progressed on or cannot tolerate standard therapy.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients whose disease does not respond to the combination or who experience unacceptable toxicity may not benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This is a Phase II interventional trial enrolling adults up to 75 with advanced pMMR/MSS colorectal cancer that progressed after standard treatment. Participants will receive pirfenidone together with a PD-1 monoclonal antibody, with some cohorts also receiving hypofractionated radiotherapy. The study aims to assess safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of the combination. Eligibility includes measurable disease, adequate organ function, and prior treatment failure or intolerance to standard therapy. The trial is conducted at Union Hospital in Wuhan, led by Tao Zhang.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the combination could offer a new treatment option for patients with refractory pMMR/MSS colorectal cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies in similar combinations have shown activity in some colorectal cancers, but this exact pirfenidone–PD-1 plus radiotherapy approach is investigational.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
1. Written informed consent must be provided, and the patient must be able to comply with the visit schedule and procedures outlined in the protocol.
2. Age ≥ 18 years and ≤ 75 years, regardless of gender.
3. Histologically or cytologically confirmed, unresectable locally advanced or metastatic pMMR/MSS colorectal cancer.
4. Patients must have progressed on standard therapy, be unsuitable for standard therapy due to intolerable toxicity, have no available standard therapy, or have refused standard therapy.
5. Baseline\* hematology tests (within 7 days prior to the first dose of study drug) must meet the following criteria:Hemoglobin ≥ 90 g/L (without transfusion or erythropoietin support within 7 days prior to blood sampling).
Absolute Neutrophil Count (ANC) ≥ 1.5 × 10⁹/L (without granulocyte colony-stimulating factor support within 7 days prior to blood sampling).Platelet count ≥ 100 × 10⁹/L (without transfusion support within 7 days prior to blood sampling).Eosinophil count ≤ 1.5 × ULN.
9.Throughout the protocol, "baseline" is defined as the last available observation prior to the first dose of the study drug. Patients must not have received any blood products or hematopoietic growth factor support within 7 days prior to the blood sample collection.
10.Baseline serum biochemistry tests (within 7 days prior to the first dose) must meet the following criteria:Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 × ULN (if total bilirubin is \>1.5 × ULN, direct bilirubin must be ≤ ULN for inclusion).Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) and Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) ≤ 3 × ULN.
Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 × ULN or Calculated Creatinine Clearance (CrCl) ≥ 45 mL/min (using the Cockcroft-Gault formula and actual body weight).Albumin ≥ 30 g/L.
11.Baseline coagulation tests (within 7 days prior to the first dose) must meet the following criteria:International Normalized Ratio (INR) ≤ 1.5 × ULN (or ≤ 3 × ULN if on a stable dose of anticoagulant therapy).Partial Thromboplastin Time (PTT) or Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (aPTT) ≤ 1.5 × ULN (or ≤ 3 × ULN if on a stable dose of anticoagulant therapy).
12.Baseline urinalysis (within 7 days prior to the first dose) must meet the following criterion: Urine Protein (UPRO) \< 2+ or 24-hour urinary protein quantification \< 1 g.
13.At least one measurable lesion as defined by RECIST v1.1 criteria. 14.Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG PS) of 0 or 1. 15.Life expectancy ≥ 3 months. 16.Male patients with partners of reproductive potential and female patients of childbearing potential must agree to use highly effective contraception throughout the treatment period and for 6 months thereafter.
Exclusion Criteria:
1. All colorectal cancer patients must have confirmed MSS/pMMR status; patients with MSI-H/dMMR are excluded.
2. History of hypersensitivity to any study drug components, including PD-1 inhibitors and pirfenidone.
3. Female patients who are pregnant, lactating, or planning to become pregnant within 6 months after the last dose of the study drug.
4. Known history or presence of active seizure disorder, active central nervous system metastases, spinal cord compression, carcinomatous meningitis, or leptomeningeal disease. Patients with newly identified brain or leptomeningeal metastases are excluded.
5. Significant cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases with clinical importance.
6. History of allergic predisposition, asthma, or atopic dermatitis.
7. Patients with massive pleural effusion or massive ascites.
8. Active autoimmune disease requiring systemic treatment (e.g., disease-modifying agents, corticosteroids, or immunosuppressants) within the past 2 years prior to the first dose. Replacement therapy is not considered systemic treatment.
9. Known history of allogeneic organ transplantation or allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
10. Known or suspected hypersensitivity to the study drugs or any of their excipients.
11. History of significant toxicity related to prior immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy or pirfenidone treatment that led to permanent discontinuation of the drug.
12. Presence of unresolved \> Grade 1 toxicities (except for persistent Grade 2 alopecia, peripheral neuropathy, decreased hemoglobin, or hypomagnesemia) from any prior anticancer therapy.
13. Active uncontrolled bleeding, known bleeding tendency, severe non-healing wounds, ulcers, fractures, or conditions such as esophageal/gastric varices requiring immediate intervention, or portal hypertension with high bleeding risk per investigator's assessment.
14. History of intestinal obstruction (except if surgically cured or fully resolved) or risk of gastrointestinal perforation within 28 days prior to the first study dose.
15. Current or recent (within 6 months) significant gastrointestinal disorders, including:
1. History of clinically significant GI bleeding,
2. Active peptic ulcer disease,
3. ≥ Grade 2 diarrhea within 2 weeks prior to the first study dose.
16. Gastrointestinal diseases or prior surgeries that may affect the absorption of oral pirfenidone; uncontrolled tumor-related pain or symptomatic hypercalcemia.
17. Known positive HIV status, active Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, tuberculosis, or history of such infections. Exceptions include:
* Patients positive for HBsAg or HBcAb with HBV DNA ≤ 2.5×10³ copies/mL or ≤ 500 IU/mL or below the detection limit.
* Patients with positive HCV serology but undetectable HCV RNA.
* Patients who have received HCV treatment with undetectable viral load.
18. Severe/active/uncontrolled infection, infection requiring IV antibiotics, or unexplained fever (\>38°C) within 2 weeks prior to the first study dose.
19. Diagnosis of another malignancy within 5 years prior to the first dose, with exceptions for adequately treated basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, carcinoma in situ, or localized prostate/thyroid cancer treated with curative intent.
20. Prohibited treatments prior to enrollment:
* Chemotherapy or small-molecule targeted therapy within 2 weeks or 5 half-lives (whichever is shorter) before the first study dose, with unresolved delayed toxicity.
* Monoclonal antibody therapy within 4 weeks prior to the first study dose.
* Participation in any interventional clinical trial involving medical devices or other therapies within 2 weeks prior to the first study dose.
* Palliative radiotherapy within 2 weeks prior to the first study dose.
* Live vaccines for infectious disease prevention within 4 weeks prior to the first study dose.
* Immunosuppressive or systemic steroid therapy (\>10 mg/day prednisone equivalent) within 2 weeks prior to the first study dose.
* Unstable anticoagulation control, thrombotic events, pulmonary embolism, or clinically significant bleeding within 6 months.
* Major surgery within 4 weeks prior to the first study dose.
21. Any condition, therapy, laboratory abnormality, history of substance abuse, or current situation that may compromise patient safety, interfere with informed consent, affect compliance, or confound safety assessment of the study drug per investigator's judgment.
22. Patients deemed unsuitable for clinical trial participation by the investigator.
Where it's running
-
Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Wuhan, Hubei, China Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Tao Zhang, MD — Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
- Study coordinator: Zhenyu Lin, MD
- Email: whxhlzy@hust.edu.cn
- Phone: 027-83262683
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.