Testing the Addition of Pembrolizumab, an Immunotherapy Cancer Drug to Olaparib Alone as Therapy for Patients With Pancreatic Cancer That Has Spread With Inherited BRCA Mutations

Running, not enrolling · Phase 2

Conditions studied: Metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma, Stage IV Pancreatic Cancer AJCC v8

In brief

This phase II trial studies whether adding pembrolizumab to olaparib (standard of care) works better than olaparib alone in treating patients with pancreatic cancer with germline BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations that has spread to other places in the body (metastatic). BRCA1 and BRCA2 are human genes that produce tumor suppressor proteins. These proteins help repair damaged deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and, therefore, play a role in ensuring the stability of each cell's genetic material. When either of these genes is mutated, or altered, such that its protein product is not made or does not function correctly, DNA damage may not be repaired properly. As a result, cells are more likely to develop additional genetic alterations that can lead to some types of cancer, including pancreatic cancer. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Olaparib is an inhibitor of PARP, a protein that helps repair damaged DNA. Blocking PARP may help keep tumor cells from repairing their damaged DNA, causing them to die. PARP inhibitors are a type of targeted therapy. The addition of pembrolizumab to the usual treatment of olaparib may help to shrink tumors in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT04548752

Run by

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

People needed

88

Starts

2021-02-22

Expected to finish

2026-10-01

Last updated by the study team

2026-08-04

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Patients must have a histologic or cytologic diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Patients with neuroendocrine tumors, acinar cell and adenosquamous carcinomas are excluded. All disease must be assessed and documented on the Baseline Tumor Assessment Form
• Patients must have one of the following mutations: germline mutation in BRCA 1 or 2 that was tested in a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA) certified lab defined as positive and/or deleterious (that is, pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant). (NOTE: Patients with tumor somatic mutations are not eligible)
• Patients must have metastatic disease and received first line platinum-based chemotherapy (i.e. fluorouracil, irinotecan, leucovorin and oxaliplatin [FOLFIRINOX], leucovorin calcium, 5-fluorouracil, and oxaliplatin [FOLFOX], gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel + cisplatin or gemcitabine + cisplatin)
• Patients must have had a CT or MRI showing stable or responding disease on first line platinum-based chemotherapy within 30 days prior to registration
• Patients with known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infection are eligible providing they are on effective anti-retroviral therapy and have undetectable viral load at their most recent viral load test and within 6 months prior to registration
• Patients with history of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection must have undetectable HBV viral load within 30 days prior to registration
• Patients with a history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection must have been treated and cured. For patients with HCV infection who are currently on treatment must have an undetectable HCV viral load within 30 days prior to registration
• Patients must have received at least 16 weeks of first line platinum-based chemotherapy for metastatic disease. Patients may have also received one cycle of treatment (no more than 4 weeks) with gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel while waiting for germline test results, prior to platinum-based therapy
• Patients' last chemotherapy treatment must be within 30 days prior to registration
• Patients must have resolved or stable =< grade 1 toxicity from prior administration of another investigational drug and/or prior anti-cancer treatment, excluding neuropathy and alopecia
• Patients must not have a known hypersensitivity to olaparib or any of the excipients of the product
• Patients must not be planning to receive strong or moderate CYP3A inhibitors or inducers while on olaparib treatment. Patients receiving strong or moderate CYP3A inhibitors must discontinue use at least 2 weeks prior to receiving olaparib. Patients receiving strong or moderate CYP3A inducers must discontinue use at least 5 weeks prior to receiving olaparib. Medications should be checked using a frequently updated medical reference for a list of drugs to avoid
• Patients must not have received live vaccines within 42 days prior to randomization and must not be planning to receive live virus or live bacterial vaccines while receiving study treatment and during the 30 day follow up period. Examples of live vaccines include, but are not limited to, the following: measles, mumps, rubella, chicken pox, shingles, yellow fever, rabies, Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG), and typhoid (oral) vaccine. Seasonal influenza vaccines for injection are generally killed virus vaccines and are allowed; however, intranasal influenza vaccines (e.g., Flu-Mist) are live attenuated vaccines, and are not allowed. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccine is allowed
• Patients must not have had prior therapy with an anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1, or anti-PD-L2 agent, or any other immune checkpoint inhibitors
• Patients must not have had prior therapy with PARP inhibitors
• Patients must not have had a prior diagnosis of immunodeficiency or receiving systemic steroid therapy (defined as >= 10 mg prednisone or equivalent) or any other form of immunosuppressive therapy within 7 days prior to the first dose of trial treatment
• Zubrod performance status of 0-1
• Patients must be >= 18 years old
• Patients must have a complete medical history and physical exam within 28 days prior to registration
• Absolute neutrophil count >= 1.5 x 10\^3/uL (within 14 days of registration)
• Platelets >= 100 x 10\^3/uL (within 14 days of registration)
• Total bilirubin =< 1.5 institutional upper limit of normal (ULN) (within 14 days of registration)
• Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) =< 3 x institutional ULN (within 14 days of registration)
• Albumin >= 3.0 g/dL (within 14 days of registration)
• Hemoglobin >= 9.0 g/dL (within 14 days of registration)

Where it is running

• Anchorage Radiation Therapy Center — Anchorage, Alaska, United States
• Alaska Breast Care and Surgery LLC — Anchorage, Alaska, United States
• Alaska Oncology and Hematology LLC — Anchorage, Alaska, United States
• Alaska Women's Cancer Care — Anchorage, Alaska, United States
• Anchorage Oncology Centre — Anchorage, Alaska, United States
• Katmai Oncology Group — Anchorage, Alaska, United States
• Providence Alaska Medical Center — Anchorage, Alaska, United States
• Fairbanks Memorial Hospital — Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
• Kingman Regional Medical Center — Kingman, Arizona, United States
• Cancer Center at Saint Joseph's — Phoenix, Arizona, United States
• Mercy Hospital Fort Smith — Fort Smith, Arkansas, United States
• CHI Saint Vincent Cancer Center Hot Springs — Hot Springs, Arkansas, United States
• NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital and Fowler Family Cancer Center - Jonesboro — Jonesboro, Arkansas, United States
• Mission Hope Medical Oncology - Arroyo Grande — Arroyo Grande, California, United States
• PCR Oncology — Arroyo Grande, California, United States
• Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital — Auburn, California, United States
• Sutter Cancer Centers Radiation Oncology Services-Auburn — Auburn, California, United States
• Alta Bates Summit Medical Center-Herrick Campus — Berkeley, California, United States
• Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center/Disney Family Cancer Center — Burbank, California, United States
• Sutter Cancer Centers Radiation Oncology Services-Cameron Park — Cameron Park, California, United States
• Eden Hospital Medical Center — Castro Valley, California, United States
• Sutter Davis Hospital — Davis, California, United States
• City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center — Duarte, California, United States
• Palo Alto Medical Foundation-Fremont — Fremont, California, United States
• Anchorage Associates in Radiation Medicine — Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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