Clinical trial NCT05241249: Stimulation With Bethanechol in Combination With Gemcitabine and Nab-paclitaxel in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma
Official title: Phase II, Neoadjuvant Study of Parasympathetic Stimulation With Bethanechol in Combination With Gemcitabine and Nab-paclitaxel in Borderline Resectable Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: RECRUITING
Phase: PHASE2
Conditions: Pancreas Cancer
Keywords: Pancreas
pancreatic adenocarcinoma
adenocarcinoma
bethanechol
parasympathetic
Lead sponsor: Columbia University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2022-02-15
Enrollment: 37
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: NA
Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Intervention model description: This is a Phase IIA study evaluating short term parasympathetic activation with fixed dose bethanechol in subjects with pancreatic cancer who should proceed to surgery after 4 -6 months of chemotherapy.
Primary purpose: OTHER

Brief summary: The primary objective of this study is to assess the impact of bethanechol therapy on R0 resection rates. The safety objective will be assessment of the safety and tolerability of bethanechol in combination with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel. The exploratory objective will be to evaluate genomic biomarkers associated with parasympathetic stimulation in pancreatic cancer, and the ability to reduce tumor growth rate.

Detailed description: The purpose of this study is to determine whether the drug, bethanechol, could potentially be used in combination with chemotherapy regimen gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel and surgery to decrease the chance of the cancer coming back after it is removed. Animal models have shown that treatment with bethanechol can inhibit cancer growth and spread. The chemotherapy regimen nab-paclitaxel for use in combination with gemcitabine to treat patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer is FDA approved. Although bethanechol is FDA approved, in this study its use is experimental. The aim of the study is to show that the medication is easy to tolerate and that it shows signs of slowing cancer cell growth. The investigators hypothesize that treatment with bethanechol will alter nerve conduction within tumors by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system and reduce tumor proliferation, decrease CD44+ expression in cancer cells, decrease tumor growth rate resulting in an improved R0 resection rate.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
* Plan for neoadjuvant chemotherapy
* Available diagnostic tissue adequate for biomarker analysis
* Ability to tolerate PO meds and comply with study procedures

Exclusion Criteria:

* Metastatic disease
* Evidence of GI obstruction
* Baseline bradycardia (HR\<55) or hypotension (systolic blood pressure\<90)
* Use of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors
* Medical conditions including: hyperthyroidism, active/symptomatic coronary artery disease, seizure disorder, peptic ulcer disease.

Primary outcomes:
measure: R0 resection rate
timeFrame: 36 months
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Ki-67 expression in tumor cells
timeFrame: 36 months
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: New York
country: United States
facility: Columbia University Medical Center
state: New York
Study officials:
affiliation: Columbia University
name: Susan E Bates, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: