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Updated May 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov

RECRUITINGPhase 2INTERVENTIONAL

Ligufalimab and Cadonilimab in Advanced Liver Cancers

Phase II Basket Trial of Ligufalimab (AK117) and Cadonilimab (AK104) in Advanced Hepatobiliary Cancers

Ligufalimab and Cadonilimab in Advanced Liver Cancers (NCT06789848) is a Phase 2 interventional studying Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Refractory Hepatocellular Carcinoma, sponsored by University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. 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

The goal of this clinical trial is to find out if the combination of Ligufalimab and Cadonilimab are effective in treating advanced hepatobiliary cancers that have failed prior therapy.

What Stage of Research Is This?

Phase 2 trials evaluate whether a treatment actually works against Advanced 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.

Target enrollment of 64 participants puts this in the typical range for a Phase 2-style efficacy study or a moderate Phase 3 trial in a focused Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma subpopulation. At this scale, the study has enough statistical power to detect a clear treatment effect but is not the largest cohort in the field.

Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)

Who May Qualify: 1. Histological confirmation of specific disease -Cohort A (HCC): Patient must have a diagnosis confirmed by histology or clinically by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) criteria in patients with cirrhosis. Known fibrolamellar HCC will be excluded. - Cohort B (BTC, biliary tract cancers): Patients must have diagnosed by tissue sample (biopsy-confirmed) biliary tract cancer (including intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, and gall bladder cancers). Patients with combined HCC-cholangiocarcinoma may be enrolled in Cohort B. 2. Locally advanced or metastatic disease - Patients with locally advanced or metastatic disease must have disease deemed not amenable to surgical and/or locoregional therapies or patients who have progressed following surgical and/or locoregional therapies. - Measurable disease, as defined as lesions that can accurately be measured in at least one dimension according to RECIST version 1.1 at least 1 cm with contrast enhanced dynamic imaging (magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography). 3. Refractory to or relapsed after prior anti-PD-1/L1 antibody therapy. May have received anti-PD-1/L1 monotherapy or combination therapy as any line of therapy including in the neoadjuvant or adjuvant setting. Patients who discontinued prior immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment due to a high-grade toxicity (Grade 4) are not eligible. ...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. Histological confirmation of specific disease -Cohort A (HCC): Patient must have a diagnosis confirmed by histology or clinically by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) criteria in patients with cirrhosis. Known fibrolamellar HCC will be excluded. * Cohort B (BTC, biliary tract cancers): Patients must have histologically confirmed biliary tract cancer (including intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, and gall bladder cancers). Patients with combined HCC-cholangiocarcinoma may be enrolled in Cohort B. 2. Locally advanced or metastatic disease * Patients with locally advanced or metastatic disease must have disease deemed not amenable to surgical and/or locoregional therapies or patients who have progressed following surgical and/or locoregional therapies. * Measurable disease, as defined as lesions that can accurately be measured in at least one dimension according to RECIST version 1.1 at least 1 cm with contrast enhanced dynamic imaging (magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography). 3. Refractory to or relapsed after prior anti-PD-1/L1 antibody therapy. May have received anti-PD-1/L1 monotherapy or combination therapy as any line of therapy including in the neoadjuvant or adjuvant setting. Patients who discontinued prior immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment due to a high-grade toxicity (Grade 4) are not eligible. 4. For patients in cohort A who do not have a clinical diagnosis of HCC according to the AASLD criteria, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor diagnostic tissue samples must have been obtained within 4 years from the time of consent. Baseline tissue will be requested any time after consent. It is strongly recommended that tissue is obtained from standard-of-care biopsies confirming progression of disease on prior therapy so that the patient has not received any intervening systemic anti-cancer treatment from the time that the baseline tissue was obtained. 5. Prior locoregional therapy is allowed provided the following are met: 1) at least 2 weeks since prior locoregional therapy including surgical resection, chemoembolization, radiotherapy, or ablation; 2) target lesion has increased in size ≥25% since the cessation of locoregional therapy or the target lesion was not treated with locoregional therapy. Patients treated with palliative radiotherapy for symptoms will be eligible as long as the target lesion is not the treated lesion and radiotherapy will be completed at least 2 weeks prior to study drug administration. 6. Age ≥ 18 years 7. Child-Pugh Score A or B7 (only applicable for Cohort A) 8. ECOG Performance score of 0-1 9. Adequate organ and marrow function (without chronic, ongoing growth factor support or transfusion in the last 2 weeks) as defined below: -Platelet count ≥ 50,000/mm3 -Hgb ≥ 9 g/dl -Absolute neutrophil ≥ 1,000 cells/mm3 -Total bilirubin ≤ 3 mg/ml (This will not apply to subjects with Gilbert's syndrome who have persistent or recurrent hyperbilirubinemia that is predominantly unconjugated in the absence of hemolysis, or patients with hyperbilirubinemia secondary to distal malignant obstruction where endoscopic, surgical, or percutaneous bypass/stenting has been attempted. Such patients may be enrolled based in consultation with the principal investigator) -INR ≤ 2 -AST, ALT ≤ 5 times ULN * Calculated creatinine clearance (CrCl) ≥ 40 mL/min. CrCl can be calculated using the Cockroft-Gault method. * Albumin ≥ 2.0 g/dl 10. All men, as well as women of child-bearing potential, defined as not surgically sterilized and between menarche and 1-year post menopause, must agree to use highly effective contraception methods (hormonal or barrier method of birth control or abstinence) 4 weeks prior to study entry, for the duration of study participation, and for 120 days after the last dose of ligufalimab or cadonilimab. Should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while participating in this study, she should inform her treating physician immediately. A female of child-bearing potential is any woman (regardless of sexual orientation, marital status, having undergone a tubal ligation, or remaining celibate by choice) who meets the following criteria: * Has not undergone a hysterectomy or bilateral oophorectomy; or * Has not been naturally postmenopausal for at least 12 consecutive months (i.e., has had menses at any time in the preceding 12 consecutive months). 11\. Women of child-bearing potential must have a negative serum pregnancy test at screening. 12\. Subjects are eligible to enroll if they have non-viral-HCC, or if they have HBV-HCC, or HCV-HCC defined as follows: 1\) HBV-HCC: Hepatitis B subjects will be allowed if they meet the following criteria: On antiviral therapy for HBV. Subjects who are anti-HBc (+), negative for HBsAg, negative for anti-HBs, and have an HBV viral load under 100 IU/mL do not require HBV anti-viral prophylaxis. 2\) HCV-HCC: Active or resolved HCV infection as evidenced by detectable HCV RNA or antibody. Patients who have failed HCV therapy as evidenced by detectable HCV RNA will be eligible. Subjects with chronic infection by HCV who are treated (successfully or treatment failure) or untreated are allowed on study. 13\. Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent. 14\. Willing and able to comply with the requirements and restrictions in this protocol. 15\. Patients who have received the vector, protein subunit, or nucleic acid COVID-19 vaccines are eligible to enroll. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Prior liver transplant. 2. Known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive (testing not required). 3. Use of any live vaccines against infectious diseases within 28 days of first dose of study drug administration. 4. History of trauma or major surgery within 28 days prior to the first dose of study drug administration. (Tumor biopsy or placement of central venous access catheter (eg, port or similar) is not considered a major surgical procedure). 5. Underlying medical conditions that, in the investigator's opinion, will make the administration of study drugs hazardous, including but not limited to: * Interstitial lung disease, including history of interstitial lung disease or non infectious pneumonitis (lymphangitic spread of cancer is not disqualifying), * Active viral, bacterial, or fungal infections requiring parenteral treatment within 14 days of the initiation of study drugs, * Clinically significant cardiovascular disease, * A condition that may obscure the interpretation of toxicity determination or AEs, * History of prior solid-organ transplantation. 6. Hypersensitivity to IV contrast; not suitable for pre-medication. 7. Any active autoimmune disease or a documented history of autoimmune disease or syndrome that required systemic treatment in the past 2 years (ie, with use of disease-modifying agents, corticosteroids, or immunosuppressive drugs), except for vitiligo or resolved childhood asthma/atopy. * Replacement therapy (eg, thyroxine, insulin, or physiologic corticosteroid replacement therapy for adrenal or pituitary insufficiency) is not considered a form of systemic treatment. * Participants with asthma who require intermittent use of bronchodilators, inhaled corticosteroids, or local corticosteroid injections will not be excluded from this study. Participants on chronic systemic corticosteroids will be excluded from the study. 8. Known history of active bacillus tuberculosis. 9. Subjects with a condition requiring systemic treatment with either corticosteroids (\> 10 mg/day prednisone equivalent) or other immunosuppressive medications within 14 days of study administration. Inhaled or topical steroids and adrenal replacement doses ≤10 mg/day prednisone equivalents are permitted in the absence of autoimmune disease. 10. Patients who discontinued prior immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment due to Grade ≥ 3 or Grade 2 serious toxicity (i.e., pneumonitis, uveitis, neurological symptoms, cardiac toxicity, etc.) immune-related adverse events. 11. Known severe hypersensitivity reactions to monoclonal antibodies (≥Grade 3). 12. Prior malignancy that required systemic treatment within the previous 2 years except for locally curable cancers that have been apparently cured, such as basal or squamous cell skin cancer, superficial bladder cancer, or carcinoma in situ of the cervix, breast, or prostate cancer. 13. Prisoners or subjects who are involuntarily incarcerated. 14. If a participant has symptomatic or clinically active brain metastases including leptomeningeal disease, they must be excluded if: * Has evidence of progression by neurologic symptoms * Has metastatic brain lesions that require immediate intervention. * Has carcinomatous meningitis, regardless of clinical stability 15. Pregnant or nursing (lactating) women, where pregnancy is defined as the state of a female after contraception and until the termination of gestation, confirmed by a positive hCG laboratory test. 16. Has known psychiatric or substance abuse disorders that would interfere with cooperation with the requirements of the trial. 17. Has significant dementia or other mental condition that precludes the participant's ability to consent to the study. 18. Use of other investigational drugs (drugs not marketed for any indication) within 28 days or 5 half-lives (whichever is longer) of first dose of study drugs. 19. Known hypersensitivity to recombinant proteins, or any excipient contained in the study drug formulations.

Treatments Being Tested

DRUG

Ligufalimab

Ligufalimab (AK117) 45 mg/kg IV over 120 minutes on Day 1 every 3 weeks

DRUG

Cadonilimab

Cadonilimab (AK104) 10 mg/kg IV over 60 minuets at least 30 minutes after Ligufalimab on Day 1 every 3 weeks

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.

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, Texas, United States

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT06789848), the sponsor (University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center), 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 NCT06789848 clinical trial studying?

The goal of this clinical trial is to find out if the combination of Ligufalimab and Cadonilimab are effective in treating advanced hepatobiliary cancers that have failed prior therapy. The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.

Who can participate in NCT06789848?

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 NCT06789848?

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 NCT06789848. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT06789848. 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.