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Pancreatic AdenocarcinomaPhase 2NCT05988918

Multicenter Trial of ESK981 in Patients With Select Solid Tumors

A Phase 2 study testing ESK981 in people with Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma and Adenosquamous Carcinoma, run by University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center at 2 sites in United States.

Active, not recruiting

Under way, not looking for participants. Everyone needed has enrolled. The study is still running.

Official record
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Trial summary

This protocol will enroll patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma and adenosquamous carcinoma (Cohort 1), gastrointestinal/pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms with Ki-67 > 20% (Cohort 2) and neuroendocrine prostate carcinoma (Cohort 3)). Each cohort will have its own interim analysis after enrollment of 10 patients. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
What is being tested?
ESK981
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
17 participants
Where
2 sitesUnited States
Study dates
19 Apr 2024to Aug 2027
Phase
Phase 2
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Patients with histological or cytological confirmation of advanced cancer per specific cohort.
  • Cohort 1: Pancreatic adenocarcinoma or adenosquamous carcinoma who have progressed or deemed intolerant of the standard of care chemotherapy regimens.
  • Cohort 2: Pancreatic or gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumor or carcinoma with Ki-67 > 20% who have progressed or deemed intolerant of at least first-line standard of care systemic therapy.
  • Cohort 3: The subject has histologically proven prostate cancer who have progressed or deemed intolerant of at least first-line standard of care systemic therapy with radiologic evidence of metastases and at least one of the following:
  • Small cell or neuroendocrine morphology on the basis of tissue sample.
  • Prostate adenocarcinoma with IHC staining for neuroendocrine markers (e.g., chromogranin and synaptophysin).
  • Presence of visceral metastases or high-volume disease (> 4 sites of metastases) with a PSA ≤ 5.
  • Serum chromogranin A level ≥ 5x upper limit of normal (ULN) and/or serum neuron specific enolase (NSE) ≥ 2x ULN.
  • Trans-differentiated carcinoma or poorly-differentiated carcinoma
  • Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0 - 2
  • Must be ≥ 18 years of age.
  • Evaluable disease determined using guidelines of Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST version 1.1)
  • Ability to understand and willingness to sign IRB-approved informed consent.
  • Willing to provide archived tissue, if available, from a previous diagnostic biopsy.
  • Must be able to tolerate CT and/or MRI with contrast.
  • At least 4 weeks from major surgery with resolution of any sequela to date of enrollment
  • Laboratory values ≤2 weeks during screening must be:
  • Platelet count ≥ 75,000 cells/mm3
  • Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1500 cells/mm3
  • Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL
  • AST/ALT ≤ 3x upper limit of normal [ULN], or (≤ 5x ULN if liver metastasis present)
  • Bilirubin ≤ 1.5x ULN, or (≤ 2.5 x ULN for subjects with Gilbert's syndrome)
  • Albumin ≥ 3 g/dL
  • Serum creatinine clearance CrCl ≥ 50 mL/min per Cockcroft-Gault Formula
  • INR ≤ 1.5 (or <2.0 if on anticoagulants)
  • Women of child-bearing potential (i.e., women who are pre-menopausal or not surgically sterile) must agree to use acceptable highly effective contraceptive methods (abstinence, intrauterine device [IUD], oral contraceptive(s), intrauterine hormone releasing system (IUS), bilateral tubal occlusion or vasectomized partner) during and for 9 months after last study dose and must have a negative serum or urine pregnancy test during screening.
  • Males with female partners (of childbearing potential) and female partners (of childbearing potential) with male partners must agree to use double barrier contraceptive measure (a combination of male condom with either cap, diaphragm or sponge with spermicide) in addition to oral contraception, or avoidance of intercourse during the study and for 6 months after last study dose is received.
  • Female patients must not be pregnant, have a positive pregnancy test, breastfeeding or planning to become pregnant or breastfeed during treatment and for an additional 9 months after the last dose of study treatment.
  • Male patients must be willing to abstain from donating sperm during treatment and for 6 months after completion of study treatment.
  • No evidence of active infection and no serious infection within the past 30 days. Patient must have completed antibiotic course.
  • No known cerebral metastasis, central nervous system (CNS), or epidural tumor (unless previously treated, asymptomatic and stable for at least 3 months).
  • No active heart disease including but not limited to myocardial infarction that is <3 months prior to registration, symptomatic congestive heart failure (NYHA class 3 or 4), symptomatic coronary artery disease, symptomatic angina pectoris.
  • No history of acute cerebrovascular disease, arterial or venous thromboembolism, percutaneous angioplasty, or coronary artery bypass surgery within 6 months prior to registration
  • No pre-existing coagulopathy, or serious bleeding within 3 months prior to registration.
  • No prior malignancy except for the following: adequately treated basal or squamous cell skin cancer, in situ cancer, localized prostate cancer (Gleason score <8), or adequately treated cancer from which the patient has been disease-free for at least 3 years prior to registration.
  • Must not have uncontrolled diarrhea at the time of enrollment.
  • Patients must not use a chronic daily medication known to be a strong or moderate inhibitor of CYP1A2, CYP2C8 or CYP3A4 at registration (as per Appendix II).
  • Patients must have recovered to baseline or ≤ grade 1 CTCAE v5.0 from toxicities related to any prior treatments, unless adverse event(s) is deemed clinically non-significant and/or stable on supportive therapy.
  • Patients must not have uncontrolled hypertension defined as blood pressure >150/90 despite optimal medical management.
  • No known hypersensitivity to gelatin or lactose monohydrate.

Trial locations and contacts

2 sites in 1 country.

United States2 sites
  • Rogel Cancer Center

    Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109

  • University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center

    Madison, Wisconsin, 53792

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: A Phase II Multicenter Trial of ESK981 in Patients With Select Solid Tumors

This protocol will enroll patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma and adenosquamous carcinoma (Cohort 1), gastrointestinal/pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms with Ki-67 > 20% (Cohort 2) and neuroendocrine prostate carcinoma (Cohort 3)). Each cohort will have its own interim analysis after enrollment of 10 patients.

Subjects will be given a one-month (28 day) supply of study drug (ESK981). Subjects will be instructed to take 4 capsules, with or without food, once per day for 5 consecutive calendar days, then take a drug holiday for 2 consecutive days before repeating the 5 days on-2 days off cycle in sets of 4 weeks or 28 calendar days. Subjects will be asked to keep a pill diary noting the date they take their study drug.

Being tested
ESK981
Medical subject headings
Carcinoma, Adenosquamous, Adenoma, Islet Cell, Somatostatinoma, Gastro-enteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumor

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • ESK981Drug

    Also called CEP-11981

    160 mg, PO, Once daily 5 days on and 2 days off

Study groups in NCT05988918
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Cohort 1ExperimentalPancreatic adenocarcinoma
Receives: Drug: ESK981
Cohort 2ExperimentalPancreatic or gastrointestinal neuroendocrine neoplasms with Ki-67 > 20%
Receives: Drug: ESK981
Cohort 3ExperimentalNeuroendocrine prostate carcinoma with Ki-67 > 20%
Receives: Drug: ESK981

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Progression Free Survival

    Determining efficacy using proportion of patients alive and progression-free at 4 months within each cancer subtype

    Measured: 4 months after initiating study drug

Secondary outcomes (5)
  1. Overall Response Rate (ORR) within each cancer subtype

    The ORR will be assessed per RECIST v1.1 criteria (Cohort 1 and 2) or combined RECIST v1.1 + PCWG3 criteria (Cohort 3). Partial or complete response will require confirmation on repeat scan at least 4 weeks from initial radiologic response

    Measured: up to 18 months from treatment discontinuation

  2. Duration of Response (DoR) within each cancer subtype

    DoR will be measured from the start date of the best response achieved until the date of relapse (i.e., progression). Continuing responders will be right-censored as of the most recent date on which their response status had been assessed. DoR applies to only the patients who achieve either a complete response or a partial response.

    Measured: up to 18 months from treatment discontinuation

  3. Overall Survival (OS) within each cancer subtype

    The OS will be defined from the date of treatment to either date of death or censoring and estimated using the product-limit method of Kaplan and Meier. Follow-up time will be censored at the date of last disease evaluation.

    Measured: up to 18 months from treatment discontinuation

  4. Safety and tolerability in each cancer subtype

    Adverse events (AEs) will be defined per the NCI Common Toxicity Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) v5.0.

    Measured: up to 30 days from treatment discontinuation

  5. Median Progression- Free Survival (PFS) within each cancer subtype

    The PFS will be defined as time from date of initial treatment to date of radiological or clinical progression (leading to withdrawal from the study treatment), or death from any cause on study treatment, whichever comes first. Follow-up time will be censored at the date of last disease evaluation.

    Measured: up to 18 months from treatment discontinuation

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted14 Aug 2023
  2. Study start19 Apr 2024
  3. Primary completion21 Feb 2026
  4. Study completionAug 2027 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Non-randomised
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
17 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT05988918
Sponsor's protocol ID
UMCC 2023.005
Other IDs
HUM00233810
Status last verified
May 2026
First submitted
4 Aug 2023
Last updated
14 May 2026
Results posted
No
FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 2 study testing ESK981 in people with Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma and Adenosquamous Carcinoma, run by University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center at 2 sites in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 14 May 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 2 sites in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Progression Free Survival (time frame: 4 months after initiating study drug). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 14 May 2026.

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