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Updated May 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov

RECRUITINGPhase 2INTERVENTIONAL

Immune Checkpoint Therapy vs Target Therapy in Reducing Serum HBsAg Levels in Patients With HBsAg+ Advanced Stage HCC

A Randomized, Open-label Trial Comparing Immune Checkpoint Therapy vs Target Therapy in Reducing Serum HBsAg Levels in Patients With HBeAg-positive Advanced Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma (VICI-5)

Immune Checkpoint Therapy vs Target Therapy in Reducing Serum HBsAg Levels in Patients With HBsAg+ Advanced Stage HCC (NCT03899428) is a Phase 2 interventional studying Hepatocellular Carcinoma, sponsored by Humanity & Health Medical Group Limited. RECRUITING as of the most recent ClinicalTrials.gov update. Talk to your doctor before contacting the trial site.

Important: This information is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

About This Trial

It is estimated that over 50% of HCC cases worldwide are related to chronic HBV. There are approximately 350-400 million people across the world infected with HBV, the majority reside in or originate from Asia. Each year HBV accounts for 749,000 new cases of HCC and 692,000 HCC-related deaths. The annual incidence of HCC is estimated to be \<1% for non-cirrhotic HBV infected patients and 2-3% for those with cirrhosis. While the most approved nucleos(t)ide analogues (NA) suppress HBV replication through inhibition of HBV-DNA polymerase and are reported to reduce the risk of HCC incidence, however, such risk is not completely eliminated under NA treatment. The recent availability of commercial quantitative assays of serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) has enabled quantitative HBsAg to be used as a biomarker for prognosis and treatment response in CHB. It has been suggested that HBsAg decline during lamivudine or entecavir therapy is slower and less pronounced compared to interferon treatment, despite a higher effect on HBV DNA suppression. Based on HBsAg kinetics, it has been estimated that the predicted median time to HBsAg loss in patients treated with lamivudine or entecavir is more than 30 years. Thus, treatment that can induce rapid decline of HBsAg would have clear advantage in reducing the treatment duration required to achieve HBsAg-loss. Interestingly, in a recent preliminary study, 12-weeks of treatment with nivolumab has showed the modest effect on HBsAg decline in HBeAg negative CHB patients. Thus, in this clinical trial, the investigator will investigate whether immune checkpoint therapy is more effective in inducing HBsAg decline compared with target therapy in HBsAg-positive patients with advanced stage HCC.

What Stage of Research Is This?

Phase 2 trials evaluate whether a treatment actually works against Hepatocellular Carcinoma and continue monitoring side effects. Phase 2 enrolls larger groups (typically 100–300 patients) and produces the first real efficacy signal. A successful Phase 2 readout is what unlocks the much larger Phase 3 confirmatory trials needed for FDA approval.

This trial is currently recruiting participants. The sponsor has registered the study with ClinicalTrials.gov as actively enrolling, which means new applicants who meet the eligibility criteria can be considered for screening. Trial status can change between updates — confirm current recruiting status with the study contact before traveling for a screening visit.

With a target enrollment of 30 participants, this is a small study — typical of early-phase research, rare-disease trials, or pilot studies designed to generate preliminary signal before a larger study is launched.

Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)

Who May Qualify: 1. HBsAg positive with serum HBsAg levels ≥ 2 log IU/ml 2. Age ≥ 18 years old on the day of consent 3. Capable of understanding and complying with the protocol requirements and signed willing to sign a consent form 4. Documented histological or cytological diagnosis of HCC within 1 year 5. Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage B (that is not eligible for locoregional therapy) or stage C 6. Child-Pugh Score class A or B 7. You should be able to carry out daily activities with 0 level of ability (ECOG 0) or 1 at enrollment. 8. Treated with either entecavir or tenofovir or TAF before initiation of anti-PDL1 or TKI 9. At least 1 measurable lesion, not previously irradiated, that can be accurately measured at baseline as ≥10 mm in the longest diameter (except lymph nodes, which must have a short axis ≥15 mm) with computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and that is suitable for accurate repeated measurements as per RECIST 1.1 guidelines. A lesion which progressed after previous ablation or TACE could be measurable if it meets these criteria 10. Adequate organ and marrow function, as defined below. Criteria "a," "b," "c," and "f" cannot be met with transfusions, infusions, or growth factor support administered within 14 days of starting the first dose. 1. blood count (hemoglobin) at least 9 g/dL 2. Absolute neutrophil count ≥1000/μL 3. Platelet count ≥75000/μL 4. Total bilirubin (TBL) ≤2.0× upper limit of normal (ULN) 5. AST and ALT ≤5×ULN 6. Albumin ≥2.8 g/dL 7. International normalized ratio (INR) ≤1.6 8. Calculated kidney function (creatinine clearance) at least 50 mL/minute as determined by Cockcroft-Gault (using actual body weight) or 24-hour urine creatinine clearance Who Should NOT Join This Trial: 1. Fibrolamellar carcinoma or mixed hepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma ...See full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov Always talk to your doctor about whether this trial is right for you.

These are translations of the protocol\'s inclusion and exclusion criteria, simplified for patients and caregivers. The original clinical text appears below. Eligibility is ultimately confirmed by the trial site\'s screening process — this summary is a starting point for a conversation with your doctor, not a final determination.

Original Eligibility Criteria

View original clinical language
Inclusion Criteria: 1. HBsAg positive with serum HBsAg levels ≥ 2 log IU/ml 2. Age ≥ 18 years old on the day of consent 3. Capable of understanding and complying with the protocol requirements and signed informed consent 4. Documented histological or cytological diagnosis of HCC within 1 year 5. Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage B (that is not eligible for locoregional therapy) or stage C 6. Child-Pugh Score class A or B 7. ECOG performance status of 0 or 1 at enrollment. 8. Treated with either entecavir or tenofovir or TAF before initiation of anti-PDL1 or TKI 9. At least 1 measurable lesion, not previously irradiated, that can be accurately measured at baseline as ≥10 mm in the longest diameter (except lymph nodes, which must have a short axis ≥15 mm) with computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and that is suitable for accurate repeated measurements as per RECIST 1.1 guidelines. A lesion which progressed after previous ablation or TACE could be measurable if it meets these criteria 10. Adequate organ and marrow function, as defined below. Criteria "a," "b," "c," and "f" cannot be met with transfusions, infusions, or growth factor support administered within 14 days of starting the first dose. 1. Hemoglobin ≥9 g/dL 2. Absolute neutrophil count ≥1000/μL 3. Platelet count ≥75000/μL 4. Total bilirubin (TBL) ≤2.0× upper limit of normal (ULN) 5. AST and ALT ≤5×ULN 6. Albumin ≥2.8 g/dL 7. International normalized ratio (INR) ≤1.6 8. Calculated creatinine clearance ≥50 mL/minute as determined by Cockcroft-Gault (using actual body weight) or 24-hour urine creatinine clearance Exclusion Criteria: 1. Fibrolamellar carcinoma or mixed hepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma 2. Radiation therapy within 4 weeks (2 weeks for radiation for bone metastases) or radionuclide treatment (eg, I-131 or Y-90) within 6 weeks of starting treatment. Subject is excluded if there are any clinically relevant ongoing complications from prior radiation therapy 3. Prior interferon treatment 4. Concomitant anticoagulation, at therapeutic doses, with anticoagulants such as warfarin or warfarin-related agents, low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), thrombin or coagulation factor X (FXa) inhibitors, or antiplatelet agents (eg, clopidogrel). Low-dose aspirin for cardioprotection (per local applicable guidelines), low-dose warfarin (≤ 1 mg/day), and low-dose LMWH are permitted. 5. The subject has uncontrolled, significant intercurrent or recent illness including, but not limited to, the following conditions: a. Cardiovascular disorders including i. Symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, or serious cardiac arrhythmias ii. Uncontrolled hypertension defined as sustained BP \> 150 mm Hg systolic, or \> 100 mm Hg diastolic despite optimal antihypertensive treatment iii. Stroke (including TIA), myocardial infarction, or other ischemic event within 6 months before starting treatment iv. Thromboembolic event within 3 months before starting treatment. Subjects with thromboses of portal/hepatic vasculature attributed to underlying liver disease and/or liver tumor are eligible b. Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders including those associated with a high risk of perforation or fistula formation: i. Tumors invading the GI tract, active peptic ulcer disease, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticulitis, cholecystitis, symptomatic cholangitis or appendicitis, acute pancreatitis or acute obstruction of the pancreatic duct or common bile duct, or gastric outlet obstruction ii. Abdominal fistula, GI perforation, bowel obstruction, intra-abdominal abscess within 6 months before starting treatment, Note: Complete healing of an intra-abdominal abscess must be confirmed prior to starting treatment c. Major surgery within 2 months before starting treatment. Complete healing from major surgery must have occurred 1 month before starting treatment. Complete healing from minor surgery (eg, simple excision, tooth extraction) must have occurred at least 7 days before starting treatment. Subjects with clinically relevant complications from prior surgery are not eligible d. Cavitating pulmonary lesion(s) or endobronchial disease e. Lesion invading a major blood vessel (eg, pulmonary artery or aorta) f. Clinically significant bleeding risk including the following within 3 months of starting treatment: hematuria, hematemesis, hemoptysis of \>0.5 teaspoon (\>2.5 mL) of red blood, or other signs indicative of pulmonary hemorrhage, or history of other significant bleeding if not due to reversible external factors g. Other clinically significant disorders such as: i. known infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or known acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related illness requiring systemic treatment ii. Serious non-healing wound/ulcer/bone fracture iii. Malabsorption syndrome iv. Uncompensated/symptomatic hypothyroidism v. Requirement for hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis 6. Subjects with untreated or incompletely treated varices with bleeding or high risk for bleeding are excluded with the following clarification: subjects with history of prior variceal bleeding must have been treated with adequate endoscopic therapy without any evidence of recurrent bleeding for at least 6 months prior to study entry and must be stable on optimal medical management (e.g. non-selective beta blocker, proton pump inhibitor) at study entry. 7. Moderate or severe ascites 8. Corrected QT interval calculated by the Fridericia formula (QTcF) \> 500 ms within 7 days before starting treatment Note: If the QTcF is \> 500 ms in first ECG, a total of 3 ECGs should be performed. If the average of these 3 consecutive results for QTcF is ≤ 500 ms, the subject meets eligibility in this regard. 9. Inability to swallow tablets 10. Previously identified allergy or hypersensitivity to components of the study treatment formulations 11. Pregnant or lactating females 12. Diagnosis of another malignancy within 2 years before starting treatment, except for superficial skin cancers, or localized, low-grade tumors deemed cured and not treated with systemic therapy

Treatments Being Tested

DRUG

Durvalumab

Durvalumab 1500 mg IV (intravenous infusion)

DRUG

Sorafenib

Prescribed by physician.

DRUG

Lenvatinib

Prescribed by physician.

DRUG

Regorafenib

Prescribed by physician.

DRUG

Cabozantinib

Prescribed by physician.

Locations (1)

Trial sites listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for this study. Site activation status can vary — confirm with the specific site before traveling for a screening visit.

Humanity & Health Research Centre
Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, Hong Kong

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT03899428), the sponsor (Humanity & Health Medical Group Limited), and the key eligibility criteria — to your next appointment. Your doctor can review the inclusion and exclusion criteria against your medical history, lab values, and current treatments to assess whether you are likely to qualify. They can also help you weigh whether trial participation makes sense alongside your existing care plan.

Useful questions to walk through together: What does the trial protocol require beyond standard care? How long is the active treatment phase, and how long is follow-up? Are there study visits at sites I can reach? Who pays for the trial-specific procedures, and who pays for standard-of-care portions? See our 25 questions to ask about clinical trials guide for a more complete checklist.

Authoritative Sources

The official record for this trial lives on ClinicalTrials.gov — the federal registry maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. For background on how this trial fits into the FDA approval pathway, see the FDA drug approval process. For oncology-specific guidance for patients considering trials, the National Cancer Institute publishes patient-oriented overviews. International trial registries are aggregated by the WHO ICTRP.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NCT03899428 clinical trial studying?

It is estimated that over 50% of HCC cases worldwide are related to chronic HBV. There are approximately 350-400 million people across the world infected with HBV, the majority reside in or originate from Asia. Each year HBV accounts for 749,000 new cases of HCC and 692,000 HCC-related deaths. The annual incidence of HCC is estimated to be \<1% for non-cirrhotic HBV infected patients and 2-3% for those with cirrhosis. While the most approved nucleos(t)ide analogues (NA) suppress HBV replication through inhibition of HBV-DNA polymerase and are reported to reduce the risk of HCC incidence, howe… The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.

Who can participate in NCT03899428?

Eligibility for this trial depends on the specific inclusion and exclusion criteria set by the sponsor. The plain-English summary above translates the most important criteria into accessible language; the official clinical text is preserved in the collapsible section underneath. Whether you fit any specific trial is a medical decision your doctor needs to confirm — bring the trial information to your treating physician for a full review against your medical history.

How do I contact the trial site for NCT03899428?

Contact information registered with ClinicalTrials.gov is shown in the sidebar of this page. Before reaching out, confirm with your treating physician that this trial is appropriate for your situation. The trial site will then walk you through the screening process to determine final eligibility.

Is participating in a clinical trial safe?

Clinical trials in the United States are regulated by the FDA and overseen by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) that review the protocol for safety. Risk varies by trial — Phase 1 studies test new treatments in humans for the first time, while Phase 3 trials use treatments that have already passed earlier safety screening. The informed consent document for any specific trial details the known risks and what to expect. Discuss those risks with your physician before deciding whether to participate.

Where can I verify the data on this page?

Every detail on this page comes directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API. Click "View on ClinicalTrials.gov" in the sidebar to see the official, unmodified record. The federal record is always authoritative; this page is a structured presentation with a plain-English eligibility translation. For background on how clinical trials are regulated, see the FDA drug approval process documentation.

How This Page Is Built

Every field on this page is pulled directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 — no estimates, no proxies. The plain-English eligibility translation is generated from the original protocol text and reviewed for fidelity to the underlying clinical criteria. The original clinical text remains visible in the collapsible section above so users and clinicians can verify the translation. Read the full methodology for the data pipeline and known limitations.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 record for NCT03899428. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT03899428. Data: ClinicalTrials.gov."

Medical disclaimer: This page is informational, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

Last updated 2026-05-08 · Data from ClinicalTrials.gov.