Phase II Basket Trial of Ligufalimab (AK117) and Cadonilimab (AK104) in Advanced Hepatobiliary Cancers

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Investigational drug late phase More information Active drug More information Moderate burden on patient More information

Trial Details

Sponsor: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (other)

Phase: 2

Start date: Feb. 18, 2025

Planned enrollment: 64

Trial ID: NCT06789848
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More trial details at ClinicalTrials.gov More info

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Investigational Drug AI Analysis

chevron Show for: AK117 (Ligufalimab)

chevron Show for: Cadonilimab (AK104, Kai Tan Ni)

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Goal: Evaluate antitumor activity of ligufalimab (AK117) plus cadonilimab (AK104) in patients with advanced hepatobiliary cancers that have progressed after prior anti–PD‑1/PD‑L1 therapy, with a primary focus on objective response rate.

Patients: Adults (≥18 years) with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (excluding fibrolamellar; Child-Pugh A or B7 allowed) or biliary tract cancers (intrahepatic/extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, gallbladder; combined HCC-CCA allowed) with measurable disease by RECIST 1.1 and ECOG 0–1. All must be refractory to or relapsed after prior anti–PD‑1/PD‑L1 therapy and not discontinued that therapy for high-grade immune toxicity. Key exclusions include prior liver transplant, active autoimmune disease requiring systemic therapy, uncontrolled infections, significant cardiopulmonary comorbidity, active CNS/leptomeningeal disease requiring immediate intervention, and need for systemic immunosuppression. HBV- and HCV-associated HCC permitted with antiviral management per protocol.

Design: Open-label, non-randomized, phase II basket study with two parallel cohorts (HCC and biliary tract cancers). Planned enrollment is 64. Primary endpoint is assessed against historical controls; no comparator arm.

Treatments: Ligufalimab (AK117) plus cadonilimab (AK104) administered as intravenous infusions on day 1 of each 21-day cycle until progression or unacceptable toxicity. Ligufalimab is a humanized IgG4 monoclonal antibody targeting CD47, blocking the CD47–SIRPα “don’t eat me” signal to enhance macrophage-mediated phagocytosis. Unlike earlier CD47 agents, ligufalimab has been engineered to avoid hemagglutination and typically does not require priming; early trials in hematologic malignancies and solid tumors have shown encouraging response rates with a manageable anemia signal. Cadonilimab is a tetravalent Fc-null bispecific antibody targeting PD-1 and CTLA-4 to deliver dual checkpoint blockade with reduced Fc-mediated toxicities; it has demonstrated efficacy signals across multiple solid tumors and regulatory approval in cervical cancer in China, with randomized data showing improved survival when combined with chemotherapy. The biological rationale for the combination leverages innate (anti-CD47) and adaptive (PD-1/CTLA-4) immune activation in ICI-exposed disease.

Outcomes: Primary: best objective response rate by RECIST v1.1. Secondary: overall survival, progression-free survival, and duration of response compared with historical controls, and safety characterized by incidence and severity of adverse events per NCI CTCAE v5.0. Treatment continues up to 24 months or until progression, toxicity, or discontinuation.

Burden on patient: Moderate. Patients receive IV infusions every 21 days with clinic visits lasting approximately 4–5 hours, requiring regular travel. Standard oncologic monitoring is expected, including periodic labs and cross-sectional imaging per RECIST; no intensive pharmacokinetic schedules are described. Baseline archival or recent tumor tissue is requested, and optional or clinically indicated biopsies may occur, but mandated serial research biopsies are not specified. Overall, visit frequency and assessments are comparable to other immunotherapy trials without added high-frequency PK draws, but infusion-based therapy and imaging confer greater burden than oral regimens.

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University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Dallas, Texas, 75390, United States

[email protected] / 214-648-7097

Status: Recruiting

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