← Back to Clinical Trials
Recruiting Phase 1, Phase 2 NCT03812874

NCT03812874 A Study of PTX-9908 Injection for Non-resectable HCC with TACE

◆ AI Clinical Summary
Plain-language summary for patients
Clinical Trial Summary
NCT ID NCT03812874
Status Recruiting
Phase Phase 1, Phase 2
Sponsor TCM Biotech International Corp.
Condition Carcinoma, Hepatocellular
Study Type INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment 50 participants
Start Date 2020-10-06
Primary Completion 2026-08-30

Eligibility & Interventions

Sex All sexes
Min Age 20 Years
Max Age N/A
Study Type INTERVENTIONAL
Interventions
PTX-9908 InjectionPlacebo

Eligibility Fast-Check

Enter your details for a quick preliminary check. This does not replace medical advice.

What to Expect as a Participant

You will actively receive the study intervention — which may be a drug, biologic, device, or procedure.

Phase 1 is the earliest stage of human testing — safety and dosage are the primary focus. Visits are frequent and medical supervision is intensive. You will be among the first people to receive this treatment.

This trial targets 50 participants in total. It began in 2020-10-06 with a primary completion date of 2026-08-30.

⚠ This information is for research awareness only. Always consult your physician before joining any clinical trial. Participation is voluntary and you may withdraw at any time.

Brief Summary

This is a multicenter, Phase I/II study in patients with non-resectable hepatocellular carcinoma following TACE treatment. Phase I (Open-label dose escalation) This study will be an open-label study with an Accelerated Phase and a Standard Phase. For the Accelerated Phase of the study, one patient per dose level (1 mg/kg, and 2 mg/kg) is planned. For the dose levels in the standard phase (4 mg/kg, 8 mg/kg and 16 mg/kg), it will follow the Fibonacci's rule of 3 + 3 design. All eligible patients who have received TACE treatment and recovered well, will be administrated PTX-9908 Injection intravenously one dose per day for 5 days on Week 1 (excludes weekends and public holidays), and one dose per week (on Day 8, Day 15, and Day 22) for 3 consecutive weeks. The 4-week treatment period, will be followed by a 2-week follow-up period. Phase II (Randomized placebo controlled dose expansion) The objective of phase II is to further evaluate the safety, tolerability and antitumor activity of PTX-9908 Injection for patients with non-resectable hepatocellular carcinoma following TACE treatment. Approximately 24 eligible patients who have received TACE treatment and recovered, will be randomized to PTX-9908 Injection using the predetermined dose in phase I or the vehicle placebo in a 2:1 ratio. PTX-9908 Injection or placebo will be administered intravenously one dose per day for 5 days in Week 1 (excludes weekends and public holidays), and one dose per week till Week 12 (Day 78). The 12-week treatment period, will be followed by a 2-week follow-up period.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma and at intermediate-stage HCC (BCLC stage B or Child-Pugh class A/B with large or multifocal HCC, no vascular invasion, or extrahepatic spread) with completed TACE procedure in 4 weeks before day 1 of study intervention infusion. 2. Recovered from TACE treatment and procedure related toxicities including ALT/AST and bilirubin within normal limit or reference numeric value (reference value is defined as the test value before TACE procedure). 3. ECOG (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group) performance status \< 2. 4. Have adequate organ and marrow function as defined below: 1. Absolute neutrophil count \> 1,200/µL 2. Hemoglobin \> 9 g/dL 3. Platelets \> 100,000/µL 4. Total bilirubin \< 2 X ULN 5. Have adequate kidney function as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) \> 60 mL/min/1.73m2 6. A negative pregnancy test at screening. This applies to any female patient with childbearing potential. 7. Agree to use adequate contraception after signing informed consent form, during the duration of study participation and for at least 4-weeks after completion or withdrawal from the study. This applies to any female patient with childbearing potential and any male patient whose female partner has childbearing potential. Acceptable contraceptive methods include: 1. Established use of oral, injected or implanted hormonal methods of contraception 2. Placement of an intrauterine device (IUD) or intrauterine system (IUS) 3. Barrier methods of contraception: condom or occlusive cap (diaphragm or cervical/vault caps) \>=20 years of age. (Note: In Taiwan, age of majority recognized in law is 20 years of age) 8. \>=20 years of age. (Note: In Taiwan, age of majority recognized in law is 20 years of age) 9. Anticipated life expectancy of \>= 6 months at assessment during screening. 10. Ability to understand and have signed a written informed consent document. Exclusion Criteria: 1. 1\. Patient with Child-Pugh B8-9. 2. Patient who has had anti-cancer therapy including surgery, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, or chemotherapy (except in TACE regimen) within 4 weeks prior to the screening visit. 3. Patient who has received any other investigational agents within 4 weeks prior to the screening visit. 4. Patient who has not recovered from the side effects of the earlier investigational agent or had anti-cancer therapy including surgery, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, or chemotherapy. 5. Patient with known brain metastases, leptomeningeal or epidural metastases (unless treated and well controlled for \>= 3 months). 6. Patient with prior history of co-malignancies, except for adequately treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix, ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast, and basal cell/squamous cell skin cancer. 7. Patient with history of myocardial infarction or uncontrolled cardiac dysfunction, or unstable arrhythmia or symptomatic peripheral arterial vascular disease. 8. Patient with history of positive serology for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). 9. Patient with active, uncontrolled bacterial, viral, or fungal infections, which require systemic therapy. 10. Patient with poor liver function as indicated by serum bilirubin \> 2 mg/dL, Child-Pugh Class C, severe coagulopathy (INR \> 2) not correctable with vitamin K, or active hepatic encephalopathy. 11. Patient with known allergic reactions to biological agent or polypeptides similar to PTX-9908 Injection. 12. Woman who is pregnant or nursing. 13. Patient with concomitant disease or condition that could interfere with the conduct of the study, or that would, in the opinion of the investigator, pose an unacceptable risk to the patient in this study. 14. Patient with unwillingness or inability to comply with the study protocol for any reason. 15. A marked baseline prolongation of QT/QTc interval (e.g., repeated demonstration of a QTc interval \>480 milliseconds (ms) (CTCAE grade 1) using Frederica's QT correction formula 16. A history of additional risk factors for torsades de pointes (e.g., heart failure, hypokalemia, family history of Long QT Syndrome) 17. The use of concomitant medications that prolong the QT/QTc interval

Contact & Investigator

Central Contact

Chien-Hung Chen, MD, PhD

✉ chenhcc@ntuh.gov.tw

📞 +886 2312 3456

Principal Investigator

Chien-Hung Chien-Hung, MD, PhD

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

National Taiwan University Hospital

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can join the NCT03812874 clinical trial?

This trial is open to participants of all sexes, aged 20 Years or older, studying Carcinoma, Hepatocellular. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria are listed in the Eligibility Criteria section. Always confirm your eligibility with the research team before applying.

What phase is the NCT03812874 trial and what does that mean for participants?

Phase 1 trials are the first stage of human testing. The primary goal is to assess safety and determine appropriate dosage levels. Participants are closely monitored. These trials typically involve a small number of volunteers.

Is NCT03812874 currently recruiting?

Yes, NCT03812874 is actively recruiting participants. Contact the research team at chenhcc@ntuh.gov.tw for enrollment information.

Where is the NCT03812874 trial being conducted?

This trial is being conducted at New Taipei City, Taiwan.

Who is sponsoring the NCT03812874 clinical trial?

NCT03812874 is sponsored by TCM Biotech International Corp.. The principal investigator is Chien-Hung Chien-Hung, MD, PhD at National Taiwan University Hospital. The trial plans to enroll 50 participants.

Related Trials

ClinicalMetric — Independent clinical trial intelligence platform. Not affiliated with NIH, ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. FDA, or any pharmaceutical company, hospital, or clinical research organization. Trial data is sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Do not make any treatment, enrollment, or health decisions based solely on information found here — always consult a qualified healthcare professional. Full Disclaimer  ·  Last Reviewed: April 2026  ·  Data Methodology