NCT05821556

Valproic Acid/Simvastatin Plus Gemcitabine/Nab-paclitaxel Based Regimens in Untreated Metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Patients

Randomized Phase 2 Study of Valproic Acid combinEd With Simvastatin and Gemcitabine/Nab-paclitaxel-based Regimens in Untreated Metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Patients (The VESPA Trial).

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: Phase 2
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 240 (estimated)
• Sponsor: National Cancer Institute, Naples · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This is a proof-of-concept, Open label, randomized, multicentric, superiority phase-2 study.

Detailed description

The study hypothesizes that valproic acid (VPA) in combination with simvastatin (SIM) may improve the efficacy of first-line gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel-based regimens and extend progression free survival (PFS) as compared with chemotherapy alone, in patients with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (mPDAC). Correlative studies on tumor and blood samples could identify potential biomarkers of toxicity and efficacy helping to define personalized treatment strategy and adding new insight into the antitumor mechanism of the combination approach.

Conditions

• Adenocarcinoma of the Pancreas

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	Valproic acid	The treatment should be started within 3 days from randomization. One cycle consisted of 28 days of treatment for both arms. Patients will continue to receive study treatment up to 6 cycles until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, physician's decision, patient's refusal, or any other discontinuation criteria. Continuation of treatment, over the six cycles, will be allowed only in case of clinical benefit, defined as continuous decrease of CA19-9 concentration or radiological response, without unacceptable toxicity. All subjects who finish treatment, whichever the reason, will enter in the follow-up. We expect that for the primary endpoint, PFS, follow-up will last up to 10 months after enrollment. Anyhow, all subjects will be followed until death and data on subsequent treatment will be collected.
DRUG	Simvastatin 20mg	The treatment should be started within 3 days from randomization. One cycle consisted of 28 days of treatment for both arms. Patients will continue to receive study treatment up to 6 cycles until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, physician's decision, patient's refusal, or any other discontinuation criteria. Continuation of treatment, over the six cycles, will be allowed only in case of clinical benefit, defined as continuous decrease of CA19-9 concentration or radiological response, without unacceptable toxicity. All subjects who finish treatment, whichever the reason, will enter in the follow-up. We expect that for the primary endpoint, PFS, follow-up will last up to 10 months after enrollment. Anyhow, all subjects will be followed until death and data on subsequent treatment will be collected.
DRUG	Gemcitabine 1000 mg	The treatment should be started within 3 days from randomization. One cycle consisted of 28 days of treatment for both arms. Patients will continue to receive study treatment up to 6 cycles until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, physician's decision, patient's refusal, or any other discontinuation criteria. Continuation of treatment, over the six cycles, will be allowed only in case of clinical benefit, defined as continuous decrease of CA19-9 concentration or radiological response, without unacceptable toxicity. All subjects who finish treatment, whichever the reason, will enter in the follow-up. We expect that for the primary endpoint, PFS, follow-up will last up to 10 months after enrollment. Anyhow, all subjects will be followed until death and data on subsequent treatment will be collected.
DRUG	Nab paclitaxel	The treatment should be started within 3 days from randomization. One cycle consisted of 28 days of treatment for both arms. Patients will continue to receive study treatment up to 6 cycles until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, physician's decision, patient's refusal, or any other discontinuation criteria. Continuation of treatment, over the six cycles, will be allowed only in case of clinical benefit, defined as continuous decrease of CA19-9 concentration or radiological response, without unacceptable toxicity. All subjects who finish treatment, whichever the reason, will enter in the follow-up. We expect that for the primary endpoint, PFS, follow-up will last up to 10 months after enrollment. Anyhow, all subjects will be followed until death and data on subsequent treatment will be collected.
DRUG	Cisplatin	The treatment should be started within 3 days from randomization. One cycle consisted of 28 days of treatment for both arms. Patients will continue to receive study treatment up to 6 cycles until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, physician's decision, patient's refusal, or any other discontinuation criteria. Continuation of treatment, over the six cycles, will be allowed only in case of clinical benefit, defined as continuous decrease of CA19-9 concentration or radiological response, without unacceptable toxicity. All subjects who finish treatment, whichever the reason, will enter in the follow-up. We expect that for the primary endpoint, PFS, follow-up will last up to 10 months after enrollment. Anyhow, all subjects will be followed until death and data on subsequent treatment will be collected.
DRUG	Capecitabine	The treatment should be started within 3 days from randomization. One cycle consisted of 28 days of treatment for both arms. Patients will continue to receive study treatment up to 6 cycles until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, physician's decision, patient's refusal, or any other discontinuation criteria. Continuation of treatment, over the six cycles, will be allowed only in case of clinical benefit, defined as continuous decrease of CA19-9 concentration or radiological response, without unacceptable toxicity. All subjects who finish treatment, whichever the reason, will enter in the follow-up. We expect that for the primary endpoint, PFS, follow-up will last up to 10 months after enrollment. Anyhow, all subjects will be followed until death and data on subsequent treatment will be collected.

Timeline

• Start date: 2023-06-12
• Primary completion: 2026-08-01
• Completion: 2027-06-01
• First posted: 2023-04-20
• Last updated: 2026-04-14

Locations

5 sites across 2 countries: Italy, Spain