Background: Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality with poor prognosis despite maximal therapy and is unresponsive to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). This failure of response is hypothesized to be driven in part by the characteristic immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. In PDAC, Semaphorin 4D (SEMA4D) expression is prognostic in patients who have undergone surgical resection and correlates with tumor infiltration of activated CD8+ T-cells. Additionally, preclinical models suggest that antibody-mediated SEMA4D blockade promotes tumoral infiltration and activation of CD8+ T-cells and sensitizes PDAC to ICB, with improved overall survival with standard of care chemotherapy and ICB in combination with pepinemab (humanized anti-SEMA4D). Thus, we hypothesized that pepinemab may improve clinical outcomes in PDAC by sensitizing tumors to ICB. Methods: We designed a phase Ib/II single-arm clinical trial to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of humanized anti-SEMA4D (pepinemab) with anti-PD-L1 (avelumab) in patients with chemotherapy-refractory PDAC. Patients must have failed first-line 5-fluorouracil or gemcitabine-based combination chemotherapy. The study follows a dose de-escalation schema starting at a dose combination of 20mg/kg pepinemab and 800mg avelumab every two weeks. Patient accrual for phase 1b utilizes the Bayesian Optimal Interval Design (BOIN) targeting a dose-limiting toxicity rate of 30% or less. After 16 subjects receive a given combination dose, a Simon’s two stage assessment of futility will be undertaken with expansion to phase 2 if 2 or more subjects demonstrate response. The trial is designed to evaluate a total cohort of 40 subjects and powered to detect a response rate of 23% or greater, with alpha set at 0.1% and 80% power. Treatment response is assessed via RECIST 1.1 criteria with surveillance CT prior to enrollment and after completion of two cycles (8 weeks). Baseline and on-treatment tumor biopsies (after completion of one cycle, 4 weeks) are performed to analyze changes in immune, stromal, and genomic profiles to elucidate mechanisms of treatment response and failure. Patient reported outcomes are incorporated (FACT-Hep and FAACT subdomains) to assess disease-specific symptoms. To date, 7 patients have been enrolled (Clinical Trial NCT05102721). Clinical trial information: NCT05102721.