West China Hospital
Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
NCT Number: NCT07580261
Primary liver cancer (Hepatocellular carcinoma, HCC) represents a major challenge in clinical oncology and poses a serious threat to public health. In recent years, the application of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has transformed the landscape of cancer therapy, demonstrating remarkable efficacy in a subset of patients. However, due to the unique immune-tolerant microenvironment of the liver, tumor cells can evade host immune surveillance, leading to reduced immune cell infiltration and T cell exhaustion. Consequently, patients with advanced HCC often respond poorly to existing ICI therapies. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), a key regulator of T cell immune responses, is highly expressed in the tumor microenvironment and mediates immune evasion by inducing regulatory T cell (Treg) differentiation and suppressing the effector functions of CD8⁺ T cells. Therefore, simultaneous blockade of immune checkpoints and the TGF-β signaling pathway represents a promising strategy to reverse immune tolerance in liver tumors.
Based on the above mechanisms, our research team has developed an RNA formulation (YMN-A02 bifunctional RNA formulation) encapsulated in TM10-LNP, which encodes a bifunctional fusion protein combining a CTLA-4 antibody and a TGF-β trap. Preclinical studies have shown that this formulation effectively activates antitumor immune responses and inhibits tumor growth in orthotopic liver cancer animal models. This study proposes a Phase I clinical trial to evaluate the safety, tolerability, immunogenicity, and preliminary efficacy of this formulation in patients with advanced primary liver cancer who have failed standard treatment, aiming to provide a new strategy for overcoming immune tolerance in liver tumors and improving the response rate to immunotherapy.
Trial opening soon.
Get Notified18 year–70 year
All sexes
Interventional
Phase 1
Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
Healthy volunteers accepted: No
Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.
Inclusion criteria
Hematology: Hemoglobin ≥80 g/L (no blood transfusion within 14 days); absolute neutrophil count >1.5×10⁹/L; platelet count ≥80×10⁹/L.
Biochemistry: Total bilirubin ≤1.5× upper limit of normal (ULN); alanine aminotransferase (ALT) or aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≤2.5×ULN; if liver metastases are present, ALT or AST ≤5×ULN; endogenous creatinine clearance ≥60 mL/min (Cockcroft-Gault formula).
Cardiac assessment: Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥50% as assessed by Doppler echocardiography.
Exclusion criteria
Enrolled subjects will receive a 100 μg intravenous infusion according to their assigned dose group. The dosing regimen includes 5 doses of primary immunization followed by subsequent individualized treatment. The first 4 doses of primary immunization are administered once weekly (Q1W), and the 5th dose is administered one month after the 4th dose. The DLT observation period is from the first infusion to 14 days after the third infusion.
Enrolled subjects will receive a 250 μg intravenous infusion according to their assigned dose group. The dosing regimen includes 5 doses of primary immunization followed by subsequent individualized treatment. The first 4 doses of primary immunization are administered once weekly (Q1W), and the 5th dose is administered one month after the 4th dose. The DLT observation period is from the first infusion to 14 days after the third infusion.
Enrolled subjects will receive a 500 μg intravenous infusion according to their assigned dose group. The dosing regimen includes 5 doses of primary immunization followed by subsequent individualized treatment. The first 4 doses of primary immunization are administered once weekly (Q1W), and the 5th dose is administered one month after the 4th dose. The DLT observation period is from the first infusion to 14 days after the third infusion.
Enrolled subjects will receive a 1000 μg intravenous infusion according to their assigned dose group. The dosing regimen includes 5 doses of primary immunization followed by subsequent individualized treatment. The first 4 doses of primary immunization are administered once weekly (Q1W), and the 5th dose is administered one month after the 4th dose. The DLT observation period is from the first infusion to 14 days after the third infusion.
Time frame: From first dose to 14 days after the third dose, approximately Day 0 to Day 42
Observe and record the occurrence of DLTs. DLT is defined as treatment-related adverse events or clinically significant laboratory abnormalities occurring during the DLT observation period, graded according to NCI CTCAE v5.0.
Time frame: Within 2 years after the first dose
Assess disease progression per RECIST v1.1, calculating the time from start of treatment to first documented disease progression or death from any cause.
Time frame: Within 6 months after the first dose
Tumor response assessed per RECIST v1.1 for solid tumors. ORR is the proportion of patients whose tumor volume reduction reaches a predefined value and is maintained for a minimum required duration, calculated as the sum of complete response (CR) and partial response (PR) rates.
Time frame: Samples will be collected at baseline, before the 2nd and 4th infusions, and after infusion (7-14 days and 19-33 days) to evaluate the effect of the investigational product.
Peripheral blood lymphocytes will be isolated from whole blood using lymphocyte separation medium. Flow cytometry will be used to detect T cells, B cells, macrophages, NK cells, and regulatory T cells (Tregs).
Time frame: Assessment time points include baseline, pre-infusion (2nd and 4th), and post-infusion (7-14 days and 19-33 days).
DCs will be isolated from peripheral blood and labeled with antibodies against surface markers CD80, CD86, and MHC molecules. Flow cytometry will be performed to assess the maturation, activation status, and antigen-presenting function of DCs.
Time frame: Assessment time points include baseline, pre-infusion (2nd and 4th), and post-infusion (7-14 days and 19-33 days).
Peripheral blood lymphocytes will be seeded onto IFN-γ coated ELISPOT plates and cultured at 37°C with 5% CO2 for 48 hours. Spot-forming cells (SFCs) will be counted using an ELISPOT reader to evaluate T cell activation induced by the product.
Time frame: Baseline, prior to the 2nd and 4th infusions, and post-infusion (days 7-14 and days 19-33).
Plasma will be collected 24-72 hours after administration. ELISA kits will be used to measure the levels of cytokines including IL-12, IFN-γ, IL-2, and IL-10 to assess the cellular immune response and the impact of the product on immune function.
Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.
West China Hospital
Other
A Phase I Clinical Study of YMN-A02, a Bifunctional RNA Agent, for Safety, Tolerability, and Preliminary Efficacy in Patients With Advanced Primary Liver Cancer Who Have Failed Standard of Care
OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.
View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.
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