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Updated May 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov

RECRUITINGPhase 2INTERVENTIONAL

A Phase 2 Trial of Fruquintinib and Tislelizumab in ctDNA-defined Minimal Residual Disease in Colorectal Cancer After Completion of Adjuvant Chemotherapy

A Phase 2 Trial of Fruquintinib and Tislelizumab in ctDNA-defined Minimal Residual Disease in Colorectal Cancer After Completion of Adjuvant Chemotherapy (NCT07136077) is a Phase 2 interventional studying Minimal Residual Disease and Adjuvant Chemotherapy, sponsored by M.d. Anderson Cancer 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

To find out if a combination of fruquintinib and tislelizumab can control CRC in patients who have received treatment for the disease but still have "positive" ctDNA tests for MRD (meaning there is evidence of MRD based on this test).

What Stage of Research Is This?

Phase 2 trials evaluate whether a treatment actually works against Minimal Residual Disease 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 20 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)

Eligibility Criteria - Participants must have diagnosed by tissue sample (biopsy-confirmed) microsatellite stable (MSS) colorectal adenocarcinoma. - Participants must have completed curative intent treatments of stages II, III, or IV colorectal cancer that must include ≥ 3 months of oxaliplatin containing chemotherapy. - No evidence of radiographic disease within 28 days (before or after) a positive ctDNA assay. - Participants must have minimal residual disease as defined by positive ctDNA assay (completed as standard-of-care at MD Anderson) such as Signatera. Participants may be identified for enrollment and followed with any Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified ctDNA assay for MRD - Participants must have adequate organ and marrow function as defined below: - Absolute neutrophil count of ≥1.0×109/L - Platelet count of ≥100×109/L - blood count (hemoglobin) at least 9 g/dL - Serum total bilirubin ≤1.5× upper limit of normal (ULN) (total bilirubin must be \<3× ULN for participants with documented Gilbert's syndrome). - Participants without liver metastases must have ALT and AST ≤2.5× ULN; participants with liver metastases must have ALT and AST ≤5× ULN. - Urine protein ≤1+ by dipstick or 24-hour urine protein \<1 g/24 hours. Participants with 2+ proteinuria by dipstick must undergo 24-hour urine collection to assess urine protein level. - Serum creatinine \<1.5× ULN and creatinine creatinine clearance (CrCl) ≥30 mL/min per Cockcroft-Gault. - International normalized ratio (INR) and activated prothrombin time (aPTT) ≤1.5 ULN unless the participant is receiving anticoagulation therapy and INR and aPTT values are within the intended therapeutic range. - ECOG performance status (PS) of 0 or 1. - Age ≥ 18 years. - Is able to understand and is willing to sign a written willing to sign a consent form document. ...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
Eligibility Criteria * Participants must have histologically or cytologically confirmed microsatellite stable (MSS) colorectal adenocarcinoma. * Participants must have completed curative intent treatments of stages II, III, or IV colorectal cancer that must include ≥ 3 months of oxaliplatin containing chemotherapy. * No evidence of radiographic disease within 28 days (before or after) a positive ctDNA assay. * Participants must have minimal residual disease as defined by positive ctDNA assay (completed as standard-of-care at MD Anderson) such as Signatera. Participants may be identified for enrollment and followed with any Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified ctDNA assay for MRD * Participants must have adequate organ and marrow function as defined below: * Absolute neutrophil count of ≥1.0×109/L * Platelet count of ≥100×109/L * Hemoglobin ≥9 g/dL * Serum total bilirubin ≤1.5× upper limit of normal (ULN) (total bilirubin must be \<3× ULN for participants with documented Gilbert's syndrome). * Participants without liver metastases must have ALT and AST ≤2.5× ULN; participants with liver metastases must have ALT and AST ≤5× ULN. * Urine protein ≤1+ by dipstick or 24-hour urine protein \<1 g/24 hours. Participants with 2+ proteinuria by dipstick must undergo 24-hour urine collection to assess urine protein level. * Serum creatinine \<1.5× ULN and creatinine creatinine clearance (CrCl) ≥30 mL/min per Cockcroft-Gault. * International normalized ratio (INR) and activated prothrombin time (aPTT) ≤1.5 ULN unless the participant is receiving anticoagulation therapy and INR and aPTT values are within the intended therapeutic range. * ECOG performance status (PS) of 0 or 1. * Age ≥ 18 years. * Is able to understand and is willing to sign a written informed consent document. * Is willing to utilize contraception. Women subjects of childbearing potential should agree to use highly effective contraception combined with an additional barrier method (eg, diaphragm, with a spermicide) while on study and for 4 months after last dose of study drug, and the same criteria are applicable to male subjects if they have a partner of childbirth potential. Male subject agrees to use a condom and not donate sperm while in this study and for 4 months after the last treatment. Exclusion Criteria * Has other concomitant active, invasive malignancies that may interfere with ctDNA analysis (known clonal hematopoesis of unknown potential allowed). * Has serum electrolytes, potassium, calcium, or magnesium levels outside of the normal laboratory reference range which are clinically significant in the investigator's judgment. * Has significant concomitant health conditions including but not limited to severe autoimmune or cardiovascular disorders that may interfere with participation in the study. * Active autoimmune diseases or history of autoimmune diseases that may worsen or relapse per treating providers' evaluation. * Has a persistent adverse event from previous treatment, except alopecia and neuropathy, greater than or equal to grade 2 of the Common Toxicity Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) v. 5.0 * Systemic anti-neoplastic therapies or any investigational therapy within 4 weeks prior to the first dose of study drug, including chemotherapy, radical radiotherapy, hormonotherapy, biotherapy, and immunotherapy. * Systemic small molecule-targeted therapies (eg, tyrosine kinase inhibitors) within 5 halflives or 4 weeks (whichever is shorter) prior to the first dose of study drug. * Mean QT interval corrected by the method of Fridericia (QTcF) ≥480 ms. * Has another disease, metabolic disorder, physical examination anomaly, abnormal laboratory result, or any other condition that investigators suspect may (a) prohibit use of the investigational product, (b) affect interpretation of study results, or (c) put the participant at undue risk of harm * Has known hypersensitivity to the trial drugs or their excipients or is at risk of allergic of anaphylactic reaction to drug product according to the Investigator's judgement. * Is pregnant or lactating. * Is unable to take medication orally or has any other condition that investigators believe may affect absorption of the investigational product. * Is receiving any other investigational agent. * Any condition that requires systemic treatment with either corticosteroid (\>10 mg daily of prednisone or equivalent) or other immunosuppressive medication ≤14 days before the first dose of study drug(s), with the following exceptions: * Adrenal replacement (dose of ≤10 mg daily of prednisone or equivalent). * Topical, ocular, intra-articular, intranasal, or inhalational corticosteroid with minimal systemic absorption. * Short course (≤7 days) of corticosteroid prescribed prophylactically (eg, for contrast dye allergy) or for the treatment of a non-autoimmune condition (eg, delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction caused by contact allergen) * Live vaccine ≤28 days before the first dose of study drug(s). Seasonal vaccines for influenza are generally inactivated vaccines and are allowed. Intranasal vaccines are live vaccines and are not allowed. * Known untreated or inadequately treated active hepatitis C, or chronic hepatitis B. * Known untreated or inadequately treated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. * Major surgery within 30 days before the first drug administration. Participants must have recovered adequately from the toxicity and/or complications from the intervention prior to the first dose of study drug(s). * Prior allogeneic stem cell transplantation or organ transplantation. * Any of the following cardiovascular risk factors: * Acute myocardial infarction ≤6 months before the first dose of study drug(s). * Heart failure meeting New York Heart Association Function Classification III or IV ≤6 months before the first dose of study drug(s) * Ventricular arrhythmia Grade ≥2 in severity ≤6 months before the first dose of study drug(s). * Cerebrovascular accident ≤12 months before the first dose of study drug(s). * Uncontrolled hypertension that cannot be managed by standard antihypertension medications, which is specified as systolic pressure ≥140 mmHg and/or diastolic pressure ≥90 mmHg. The participant must have blood pressures below both limits. Repeated assessments are permitted. * Syncope or seizure ≤28 days before the first dose of study drug(s). * Received strong inducers of cytochrome P450, family 3, subfamily A (CYP3A) taken within 2 weeks (or 5 times the t1/2 of the drug, whichever is longer) prior to the first study treatment. * Active gastrointestinal and duodenal ulcers, ulcerative colitis, and other gastrointestinal disease: other conditions that the investigator determines to possibly cause gastrointestinal bleeding, perforation, and other conditions; or prior gastrointestinal perforation or gastrointestinal fistula that has not recovered after surgical treatment. * History or presence of clinically significant hemorrhage from any site (such as clinically significant melena, hematemesis, hemoptysis, fresh in stool) within 2 months before the screening. * History of arterial thrombus within the last 12 months.

Treatments Being Tested

DRUG

Tislelizumab

Given by IV

DRUG

Fruquintinib

Give by PO

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.

MD Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, Texas, United States

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT07136077), the sponsor (M.d. Anderson Cancer 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 NCT07136077 clinical trial studying?

To find out if a combination of fruquintinib and tislelizumab can control CRC in patients who have received treatment for the disease but still have "positive" ctDNA tests for MRD (meaning there is evidence of MRD based on this test). The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.

Who can participate in NCT07136077?

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 NCT07136077?

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 NCT07136077. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT07136077. 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.