Clinical trial Recruiting at 1 site Phase 2 Interventional Ages 18 to 75

Sintilimab with NALIRIFOX or GP as first-line treatment for metastatic biliary tract cancer

Official title: A Randomized, Noncomparative, Open-Label, Exploratory Clinical Study of Sintilimab in Combination With NALIRIFOX (Liposomal Irinotecan [II] Plus 5-Fluorouracil/Leucovorin and Oxaliplatin) or GP (Gemcitabine Plus Cisplatin) as First-Line Treatment for Metastatic Biliary Tract Cancer

Run by The Affiliated Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School · NCT07831993 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This study tests whether adding sintilimab to either NALIRIFOX or gemcitabine‑cisplatin can help people with metastatic biliary tract cancer who have not had prior systemic therapy.

More Biliary Tract Cancer trials

Quick facts

PhasePhase 2
Study typeInterventional
Ages18 Years to 75 Years
SexAll
Enrollment54 (estimated)
SponsorThe Affiliated Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School
Academic / other
Drugs / interventionschemotherapy, immunotherapy, sintilimab
Locations1 site (Nanjing, Jiangsu)
StatusRecruiting
StartedJanuary 14, 2026
Main results expectedJune 30, 2027
Study endsDecember 31, 2027
Registry record updatedSeptember 21, 2026
Trial IDNCT07831993 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Adults aged 18-75 with confirmed metastatic biliary tract cancer, no prior systemic therapy for metastatic disease, measurable lesions, ECOG 0-1, and adequate organ function.

Probably not a fit

Patients with rapid disease progression, intolerable toxicity, or lack of measurable disease may derive limited or no 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 randomized, open-label phase 2 trial enrolling about 54 participants with newly diagnosed metastatic biliary tract cancer. Participants will be assigned 1:1 to receive sintilimab plus NALIRIFOX or sintilimab plus gemcitabine and cisplatin as first-line therapy. The primary endpoint is objective response rate by RECIST 1.1, with secondary endpoints including disease control rate, progression-free survival, overall survival, and safety. After initial combination therapy, some patients may receive maintenance treatment with the same agents until progression or intolerance. Eligible participants have confirmed biliary tract cancer, measurable disease, no prior metastatic-systemic therapy, ECOG 0-1, and adequate organ function.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the regimen could offer improved response rates and potential survival benefits for patients with metastatic biliary tract cancer.

How similar studies have gone: Similar immune-chemotherapy combinations have shown encouraging activity in biliary tract cancers, but this exact regimen in the first-line setting is exploratory.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

1. Aged 18 to 75 years, inclusive, at the time of signing the informed consent form, regardless of sex.
2. Histologically and/or cytologically confirmed biliary tract cancer, including intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, and gallbladder cancer.
3. Presence of distant metastasis at the current disease stage.
4. No prior anticancer treatment for biliary tract cancer at the current disease stage, including radiotherapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or biologic therapy.
5. At least one measurable lesion according to RECIST version 1.1. The measurable lesion must not have received prior radiotherapy or other local treatment.
6. Expected survival of at least 12 weeks.
7. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1.
8. Adequate hematologic, hepatic, renal, cardiac, and coagulation function within 14 days before initiation of study treatment, meeting all of the following requirements:

   1. Hematologic function:

      * Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1.5 × 10\^9/L;
      * Platelet count ≥ 100 × 10\^9/L;
      * Hemoglobin ≥ 90 g/L (9.0 g/dL);
      * No blood transfusion or hematopoietic growth factor support for correction within 14 days before screening.
   2. Biochemical function:

      * Serum albumin ≥ 30 g/L (3.0 g/dL);
      * Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≤ 2.5 × the upper limit of normal (ULN);
      * Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 × ULN;
      * Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 × ULN, or creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min as calculated using the Cockcroft-Gault formula.
   3. Cardiac function:

      * Normal 12-lead electrocardiogram or abnormalities considered clinically insignificant by the investigator, with QTcF \< 470 ms;
      * Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥ 50%.
   4. Coagulation function:

      * Prothrombin time (PT) or activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) ≤ 1.5 × ULN;
      * International normalized ratio (INR) ≤ 1.5 × ULN in participants not receiving anticoagulant therapy. Participants receiving a stable dose of anticoagulant therapy, such as low-molecular-weight heparin or warfarin, may be eligible if the INR is within the expected therapeutic range.
9. Willing and able to participate voluntarily, provide written informed consent, and comply with the scheduled study visits and other protocol requirements.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Tumor- and treatment-related criteria:

   1. History of a malignancy other than biliary tract cancer within 5 years before screening, except for adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or other malignancies considered by the investigator to have a low risk of metastasis and death.
   2. Known central nervous system (CNS) metastases. Participants with suspected CNS metastases must undergo contrast-enhanced CT or MRI within 28 days before initiation of study treatment to exclude CNS metastases.
   3. Prior treatment with an immune checkpoint inhibitor, including anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1, anti-CTLA-4 therapy, or any cellular immunotherapy.
   4. Prior irinotecan- or liposomal irinotecan-based chemotherapy.
   5. Use of strong inhibitors or inducers of CYP3A4, CYP2C8, or UGT1A1 within 14 days before initiation of study treatment.
   6. Participation in another interventional drug clinical trial within 4 weeks before initiation of study treatment, except for observational (non-interventional) studies or follow-up of an interventional clinical study.
2. Medical history or concomitant diseases:

   1. Severe gastrointestinal dysfunction documented clinically, including bleeding or obstruction, inflammation of NCI-CTCAE version 5.0 grade \>2, diarrhea of NCI-CTCAE version 5.0 grade \>1, or other conditions considered by the investigator to potentially affect drug intake, transit, or absorption, including inability to swallow, prior small-bowel resection, or total gastrectomy.
   2. Pleural effusion or ascites requiring clinical intervention (NCI-CTCAE version 5.0 grade ≥2).
   3. Serious concomitant conditions that may interfere with study treatment, including any of the following:

      * Uncontrolled serious medical disease considered by the investigator to impair the participant's ability to receive protocol-specified treatment, including severe cardiac disease, cerebrovascular disease, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, uncontrolled hypertension, or active peptic ulcer disease;
      * Arterial or venous thrombotic events within 1 year before screening, including cerebrovascular accident (including transient ischemic attack), deep vein thrombosis, or pulmonary embolism, except for catheter-related venous thrombosis from prior chemotherapy that has resolved according to the investigator;
      * Tumor involvement of major blood vessels on imaging, or a very high risk, in the investigator's judgment, of tumor invasion into major blood vessels during treatment resulting in potentially fatal hemorrhage;
      * History of interstitial lung disease, or noninfectious pneumonitis requiring oral or intravenous corticosteroid therapy;
      * Poorly controlled cardiac symptoms or disease, including heart failure greater than New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II, unstable angina, myocardial infarction within 6 months, or clinically significant supraventricular or ventricular arrhythmia requiring treatment or intervention;
      * Positive hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody.
   4. Severe infection (NCI-CTCAE version 5.0 grade \>2) within 4 weeks before screening, such as severe pneumonia requiring hospitalization, bacteremia, or other serious infectious complications; or signs or symptoms of infection requiring intravenous antibiotic therapy within 2 weeks before initiation of study treatment, except for prophylactic antibiotic use.
3. Other criteria:

   1. Known allergy or intolerance to any study drug or its excipients, or any contraindication to any study drug.
   2. Women who are planning pregnancy, are pregnant, or are breastfeeding.
   3. Any other condition that, in the investigator's judgment, warrants exclusion from the study, including factors that may lead to premature study discontinuation, such as another serious disease (including psychiatric illness) requiring concomitant treatment, severe laboratory abnormalities, or family or social factors that could affect participant safety or the collection of study data or samples.

Where it's running

  • Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School
    Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
    Recruiting

Study contacts

  • Principal investigator: Juan Du, MD — The Affiliated Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School
  • Study coordinator: Juan Du, MD
  • Email: dujuanglyy@163.com
  • Phone: 13851668102

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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.