18 Participants Needed

L-glutamine + Chemotherapy for Pancreatic Cancer

Recruiting at 1 trial location
KK
AO
AL
Overseen ByAbrahm Levi, BS
No Placebo GroupAll trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

This study will enroll a total of 16 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. All subjects will receive combination therapy of gemcitabine, nab-paclitaxel, and L-glutamine. The study investigates what the appropriate dosage of L-glutamine is so that there is the lowest risk of side effects, and whether the supplement will make standard chemotherapy of gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel more effective in treating advanced pancreatic cancer.

Do I have to stop taking my current medications for the trial?

The trial protocol does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications. However, you cannot be on strong CYP2C8 or CYP3A4 inhibitors or inducers within 1 week before starting nab-paclitaxel.

What data supports the effectiveness of the drug combination of L-glutamine, Gemcitabine, and Nab-paclitaxel for pancreatic cancer?

Research shows that combining nab-paclitaxel (a form of paclitaxel) with gemcitabine significantly improves survival in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer compared to using gemcitabine alone. This combination has become a standard treatment option for metastatic pancreatic cancer due to its positive results in clinical trials.12345

Is the combination of L-glutamine and chemotherapy safe for humans?

The combination of nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-paclitaxel) and gemcitabine has been studied for safety in patients with pancreatic cancer, including elderly patients, and is generally considered safe, though specific side effects and tolerability can vary. These drugs are FDA-approved for cancer treatment, indicating they have passed safety evaluations for use in humans.12346

What makes the drug combination of L-glutamine, Gemcitabine, and Nab-paclitaxel unique for treating pancreatic cancer?

The combination of L-glutamine with Gemcitabine and Nab-paclitaxel is unique because it adds a nutritional supplement (L-glutamine) to a standard chemotherapy regimen, which may help improve treatment outcomes or reduce side effects, although this specific combination is not yet a standard treatment for pancreatic cancer.23478

Research Team

Jun Gong, MD | Cedars-Sinai

Jun Gong, MD

Principal Investigator

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Eligibility Criteria

Adults with advanced pancreatic cancer who haven't had chemotherapy for metastatic disease can join. They must have good organ function, not be pregnant or breastfeeding, agree to use birth control, and be able to follow the study plan. People with severe pre-existing neuropathy, other active cancers, or conditions that could affect the study's outcome cannot participate.

Inclusion Criteria

You have a disease that can be measured using a specific standard.
I can take care of myself but might not be able to do heavy physical work.
My pancreatic cancer is advanced or cannot be surgically removed and I am referred to CSMC/SOCCI for first chemotherapy.
See 7 more

Exclusion Criteria

Has known psychiatric or substance abuse disorders that would interfere with cooperation with the requirements of the trial
I haven't taken strong CYP2C8 or CYP3A4 drugs in the last week.
I have another cancer that is getting worse or needs treatment.
See 9 more

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

L-glutamine Pre-treatment

1-week administration of L-glutamine to measure baseline and post-glutamine monotherapy plasma metabolite levels

1 week
1 visit (in-person)

Treatment

Combination therapy of gemcitabine, nab-paclitaxel, and L-glutamine administered over 28-day cycles

12 months
Monthly visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

  • Gemcitabine
  • L-glutamine
  • Nab-paclitaxel
Trial OverviewThe trial is testing a combination of gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel with L-glutamine in patients at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. It aims to find the safest dose of L-glutamine and see if it boosts the effectiveness of standard chemotherapy in treating advanced pancreatic cancer.
Participant Groups
1Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Group I: Gemcitabine + Nab-paclitaxel + L-glutamineExperimental Treatment3 Interventions
For the dose-finding portion of this study, all subjects will receive a combination of L-glutamine, gemcitabine, and nab-paclitaxel which will be preceded by a 1-week (+/- 1 day) administration of L-glutamine. This 1-week administration of L-glutamine will facilitate measurement of baseline and post-glutamine monotherapy plasma metabolite levels prior to addition of gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel. The combination therapy will be administered over 28-day cycles during the treatment period until disease progression, treatment intolerance, or withdrawal from the study. Patients are expected to be on treatment for 12 cycles.

Gemcitabine is already approved in European Union, United States, Canada, Japan for the following indications:

πŸ‡ͺπŸ‡Ί
Approved in European Union as Gemzar for:
  • Pancreatic cancer
  • Breast cancer
  • Ovarian cancer
  • Non-small cell lung cancer
πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ
Approved in United States as Gemzar for:
  • Pancreatic cancer
  • Breast cancer
  • Ovarian cancer
  • Non-small cell lung cancer
πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦
Approved in Canada as Gemzar for:
  • Pancreatic cancer
  • Breast cancer
  • Ovarian cancer
  • Non-small cell lung cancer
πŸ‡―πŸ‡΅
Approved in Japan as Gemzar for:
  • Pancreatic cancer
  • Breast cancer
  • Ovarian cancer
  • Non-small cell lung cancer

Find a Clinic Near You

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Jun Gong, MD

Lead Sponsor

Trials
1
Recruited
20+

Emmaus Medical, Inc.

Industry Sponsor

Trials
8
Recruited
380+

Findings from Research

In a study involving 221 patients with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and poor performance status, the combination of NAB-paclitaxel and gemcitabine was found to be well tolerated, with manageable side effects such as anemia and neutropenia.
Both dosing regimens of NAB-paclitaxel (100 mg/m2 and 125 mg/m2) showed similar efficacy, with comparable response rates and median progression-free survival, indicating that this treatment is effective for fragile patients.
Phase I/II Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Nanoparticle Albumin-Bound Paclitaxel in Combination With Gemcitabine in Patients With Pancreatic Cancer and an ECOG Performance Status of 2.Macarulla, T., Pazo-Cid, R., GuillΓ©n-Ponce, C., et al.[2022]
Nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine (nab-P/Gem) is an effective first-line treatment for metastatic pancreatic cancer, with median overall survival rates ranging from 8.7 to 13.5 months across various studies involving a diverse patient population.
The combination of nab-P/Gem with additional agents is being actively researched, showing promise for improving outcomes in advanced pancreatic cancer, with median overall survival extending up to 17 months in some cases.
nab-Paclitaxel for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.Kim, G.[2023]
The combination of nab-paclitaxel, gemcitabine, and capecitabine was found to be well tolerated in a phase I study with 15 patients, establishing a maximum-tolerated dose (MTD) but showing only modest antitumor activity in metastatic pancreatic cancer.
Despite the regimen being generally safe, with a low incidence of severe hematologic toxicities, only 14.3% of patients had a partial response, indicating that optimizing dose intensity may be crucial for improving treatment outcomes.
A phase I trial of nab-paclitaxel, gemcitabine, and capecitabine for metastatic pancreatic cancer.Ko, AH., Truong, TG., Kantoff, E., et al.[2022]

References

Phase I/II Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Nanoparticle Albumin-Bound Paclitaxel in Combination With Gemcitabine in Patients With Pancreatic Cancer and an ECOG Performance Status of 2. [2022]
nab-Paclitaxel for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. [2023]
A phase I trial of nab-paclitaxel, gemcitabine, and capecitabine for metastatic pancreatic cancer. [2022]
Paclitaxel albumin-bound particles (abraxane) in combination with bevacizumab with or without gemcitabine: early experience at the University of Miami/Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute. [2022]
An in vitro and in vivo study of gemcitabine-loaded albumin nanoparticles in a pancreatic cancer cell line. [2022]
A clinical trial to assess the feasibility and efficacy of nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine for elderly patients with unresectable advanced pancreatic cancer. [2022]
[Nab-Paclitaxel plus Gemcitabine Hydrochloride in Patients with Metastatic or Recurrent Pancreatic Cancer - A Single Institution Experience]. [2022]
Increased survival in pancreatic cancer with nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine. [2022]