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NCT03727880CompletedPhase 2

Study of Pembrolizumab With or Without Defactinib Following Chemotherapy as a Neoadjuvant and Adjuvant Treatment for Resectable Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

A Randomized Phase II Study of Pembrolizumab With or Without Defactinib, a Focal Adhesion Kinase Inhibitor Following Chemotherapy as a Neoadjuvant and Adjuvant Treatment for Resectable Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC)

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 4 Feb 2026

Brief summary (registry, in English)

This study will test the effectiveness (anti-tumor activity), safety, and ability to increase the body's immune system to fight pancreatic cancer by combining standard chemotherapy before and after surgery, with study drug PD-1 antibody, pembrolizumab, with and without study drug, focal adhesion kinase inhibitor (FAK), defactinib, in people with "high risk" resectable (surgically removable) pancreatic cancer. The purpose of this study is to evaluate if reprograming the tumor microenvironment by targeting FAK following chemotherapy can potentiate anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1) antibody.

Status (registry)
Completed
Phase (registry)
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
28 (actual)
First submitted
31 Oct 2018
Start date
4 Jun 2019
Primary completion date
15 Jan 2025
Lead sponsor
Lei Zheng
NCT number
NCT03727880

What you commit to

  • Study type: Interventional · Phase 2
  • Participants enrolled: 28
  • From 4 Jun 2019 to the primary completion date, 15 Jan 2025
  • 3 sites in 1 country
  • Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them

Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.

Who cannot take part

Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.

Prior treatment

  • Patients who have received any prior chemotherapy, radiotherapy or investigational agents for pancreatic cancer.
  • Patients who have received prior treatment with anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1, anti-PD-L2, anti-CTLA-4, or with an agent directed to another stimulatory or co-inhibitory T-cell receptor (e.g., CTLA-4, OX 40, CD137).
  • Has received prior therapy with FAK inhibitor.
  • Have received a live vaccine or live-attenuated vaccine within 30 days prior to study drug.
  • Is currently or has participated in another investigational study within 4 weeks prior to receiving study drug.
  • History or current use of immunosuppressive medications within 7 days prior to study medications.
  • Received any growth factors including, but not limited to, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), GM-CSF, erythropoietin, within 14 days of study drug administration.

Other illness

  • Has a known additional malignancy that is progressing or has required active treatment within the past 2 years or that is expected to require active treatment within two years.
  • Has active autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment in the past 2 years.
  • Has a history of (non-infectious) pneumonitis/interstitial lung disease or current pneumonitis.
  • Has an active infection requiring systemic therapy.
  • Infection with HIV or hepatitis B or C.
  • Patient with uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, uncontrolled infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements.
  • Known allergy or hypersensitivity to the study drugs.
  • Has history of any organ transplant, including corneal transplants.

Other

  • Woman who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Who the study is looking for

  • Age ≥18 years.
  • Has pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
  • Has resectable disease at the time of diagnosis
  • Has not received any systemic therapy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
  • Has stage ≤ IIb disease at time of diagnosis and enrollment
  • Elevated tumor marker, CA (carbohydrate antigen) 19-9 \>200
  • ECOG performance status 0 or 1
  • Patient must have adequate organ function defined by the study-specified laboratory tests.
  • Must use acceptable form of birth control while on study.
  • Ability to understand and willingness to sign a written informed consent document.

Age in the registry: 18 years to 100 years · Sex: All · Does not accept healthy volunteers

Full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov

Sites (3)

Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.

SiteCityCountrySite status
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
BaltimoreUnited StatesUnknown status
Samuel Oschin Cancer Center at Cedars-Sinai
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
Los AngelesUnited StatesUnknown status
The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
San AntonioUnited StatesUnknown status

This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.