Microbiota Modification for Immuno-oncology in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

NCT ID: NCT06551272

Last Updated: 2025-08-05

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

PHASE2

Total Enrollment

34 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-03-12

Study Completion Date

2026-12-12

Brief Summary

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Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common liver primary cancer with a high rate of mortality. Since the results of IMbrave150, immunotherapy have emerged as a standard of care for HCC patients advanced and/or unresectable in first line of treatment. The objective response rate was about 30%, but half of patients would present only stable disease and about 20% progressive disease.

Faecalibacterium prausnitzii is one of the most abundant bacterial in human gut microbiota, around 5% of total bacteria in feces.

For patients with metastatic melanoma, treated with ipilimumab, an antibody targeting CTLA-4 (Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4), patients with a baseline gut microbiota enriched with Faecalibacterium had a significantly better clinical outcomes. In patients with metastatic melanoma, the level of Faecalibacterium prausnitzi at baseline was predictive of response to anti-PD-1 (programmed death-1) or anti-CTLA-4 therapy. EXL01 is a pharmacological preparation of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii strains. Preclinical murine study suggests that the administration of EXL01 could reverse the resistance to ICI induced by antibiotics (unpublished data).

We thus plan to test the concept of microbiota modification in patients treated with standard-of-care approved first-line immunotherapy for advanced HCC. We would include patients refractory to first-line treatment, and test the addition of EXL01 to standard-of-care approved first-line immunotherapy in order to reverse resistance.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NA

Intervention Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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standard-of-care approved first-line immunotherapy- EXL01

Patients treated with atezolizumab-bevacizumab ou durvalumab with the addition of the experimental treatment exl01, 1 capsule per day for a maximum of 12 months.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

EXL01

Intervention Type DRUG

EXL01 contains an unmodified single strain of F. prausnitzii

Interventions

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EXL01

EXL01 contains an unmodified single strain of F. prausnitzii

Intervention Type DRUG

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. Male and Female
2. Age ≥18 years at time of signing informed consent
3. Presenting with HCC, diagnosed either by histological or radiological criteria as described by EASL
4. Locally advanced or metastatic and/or unresectable HCC according a Multidisciplinary Team meeting
5. Progressive disease after exposure to standard-of-care approved first-line immunotherapy
6. Decision made by the physician to continue the same standard-of-care approved first-line immunotherapy beyond progression
7. Child-Pugh A within 7 days prior to inclusion
8. ECOG performance status 0 to 1
9. Adequate hematological (Hemoglobin \>8.5g/dL, platelets \>60G/L, neutrophils \>1.5G/L) and renal (creatinine clearance \> 50 mL/min according to Cockcroft or MDRD formula) functions
10. Disease measurable by RECIST 1.1
11. Signed written Informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

1. Partial response achieved under standard-of-care approved first-line immunotherapy
2. CTCAE Grade ≥3 or more toxicity under standard-of-care approved first-line immunotherapy, or persistent toxicity Grade \>1
3. Liver involvement \> 50%
4. Presence of major macro vascular invasion (except Vp1/Vp2)
5. Pregnant woman, or breastfeeding or women of child-bearing potential with no adequate contraception (see §4.3.1)
6. Under curatorship, guardianship, safeguard of justice or deprived of liberty
7. History of serious autoimmune disease
8. Interstitial lung disease
9. HBV chronic infection with HBV DNA \> 100 IU/mL or without antiviral therapy; HBV patients with cirrhosis should be treated
10. HIV infection
11. Immunosuppression, including subjects with a condition requiring systemic treatment with either corticosteroids (\> 10 mg/day prednisone equivalent)
12. Transplanted liver, or patient with intent for transplantation
13. Has difficulties in swallowing.
14. Has undergone major surgery or significant trauma ≤4 weeks prior to Screening. Note: Participants who had surgery \>4 weeks prior to Screening must have recovered adequately from any toxicity and/or complications from the surgery or trauma prior to starting study intervention.
15. Is currently participating in or has participated in a study with an investigational compound or device within 3 months prior to the first dose of study intervention.

Note: Participants who have entered the follow-up phase of an investigational study may participate so long as it has been at least 3 months since the last dose of the previous investigational agent.
16. Has a systemic infection or other serious infection requiring systemic treatment within 30 days prior to Screening.
17. Has a history of hypersensitivity to EXL01 and/or any excipients, which are listed in the IB, and/or to soybean or soy-containing products
18. Has a history of hypersensitivity to Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell products or other recombinant human or humanised antibodies
19. Active inflammatory intestinal disease (Crohn disease, Hemorrhagic recto-colitis, coeliac disease) or any serious chronic intestinal disease with uncontrolled diarrhea, or other inflammatory disease requiring anti-inflammatory medications
20. Current probiotics administration, or planned probiotics administration during treatment course.
21. Specific contra-indication to the continuation of the standard-of-care approved first-line immunotherapy :

21.1: for atezolizumab-bevacizumab:

* Thromboembolic events in the 3 months prior to inclusion
* Prior bleeding event due to untreated or incompletely treated esophageal and / or gastric varices within 6 months' prior inclusion
* Has a history of hypersensitivity to the atezolizumab or to any of the excipients listed in section 6.1 of the SmPC of atezolizumab
* Has a history of hypersensitivity to bevacizumab or to any of the excipients listed in section 6.1 of the SmPC of bevacizumab
* Uncontrolled hypertension
* Clinically significant cardiovascular disease such as pre-existing coronary artery disease, or congestive heart failure
* Proteinuria 21.2: for durvalumab:
* Has a history of hypersensitivity to the durvalumab or to any of the excipients listed in section 6.1 of the SmPC of durvalumab.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Center Eugene Marquis

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Héloise BOURIEN, Dr

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Centre de lutte contre le cancer Eugène Marquis

Locations

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hôpital Avicenne

Bobigny, , France

Site Status ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING

CHU de Bordeaux

Bordeaux, , France

Site Status ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING

Hôpital Beaujon

Clichy, , France

Site Status RECRUITING

CHU de Nantes Hotel Dieu

Nantes, , France

Site Status ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING

Centre de luttre contre le cancer Eugène Marquis

Rennes, , France

Site Status RECRUITING

Gustave ROUSSY

Villejuif, , France

Site Status ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING

Countries

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France

Central Contacts

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Valérie JOLAINE

Role: CONTACT

0299253036 ext. +33

Marion TROCHET

Role: CONTACT

Facility Contacts

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Mohamed BOUATTOUR

Role: primary

0140875614

Héloise BOURIEN

Role: primary

0299253296

Other Identifiers

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2023-1-69-001

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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