MK-1484 + Pembrolizumab for Cancer

Recruiting at 8 trial locations

Overseen By Toll Free Number

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Phase 1

Sponsor: Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC

Must not be taking: Immunosuppressants, Steroids

Disqualifiers: CNS metastases, Active infection, Autoimmune, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 3

Duration: Up to 24 months

70 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests the safety of MK-1484 alone and with pembrolizumab in adults with severe, spreading cancers. MK-1484 is a new drug, while pembrolizumab helps the immune system attack cancer cells.

Do I need to stop my current medications to join the trial?

The trial protocol does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications. However, you must not have had chemotherapy, radiation, or biological cancer therapy within 4 weeks before starting the trial, and you should not be on chronic systemic steroid therapy exceeding 10 mg daily of prednisone equivalent within 7 days before the trial.

What data supports the effectiveness of the drug pembrolizumab (Keytruda) for cancer treatment?

Pembrolizumab has been shown to improve survival rates in patients with non-small cell lung cancer and melanoma by helping the immune system attack cancer cells more effectively. It has been approved by the FDA for these cancers due to its demonstrated benefits in clinical trials. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is the combination of MK-1484 and Pembrolizumab safe for humans?

Pembrolizumab (also known as KEYTRUDA or MK-3475) has been studied in various cancers and is generally considered safe, but it can cause side effects like fatigue, cough, nausea, and immune-related issues such as inflammation of the lungs (pneumonitis) and thyroid problems. While specific safety data for MK-1484 is not provided, pembrolizumab's safety profile is well-documented in other conditions. ^{1 2 3 6 7}

How is the drug MK-1484 + Pembrolizumab different from other cancer treatments?

The combination of MK-1484 and Pembrolizumab is unique because it involves Pembrolizumab, a drug that helps the immune system fight cancer by blocking a pathway that tumors use to hide from immune cells. This combination may offer a new approach for treating cancers that do not respond well to existing therapies. ^{1 2 3 5 8}

Research Team

Medical Director

Principal Investigator

Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC

Eligibility Criteria

Adults with advanced or metastatic solid tumors who have tried all other treatments or can't tolerate them are eligible. They must have measurable disease, normal heart function, and adequate organ function. Participants need to provide a tumor sample for analysis and agree to use contraception. Excluded are those with certain lung conditions, recent transplants, active infections including HIV/HBV/HCV, uncontrolled diseases or conditions that could affect the trial's outcome.

Inclusion Criteria

Has measurable disease by Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1 as assessed by the local site investigator/radiology.

My organs are functioning well.

I have given a tissue sample for cancer marker tests.

Exclusion Criteria

I have previously received IL-2 based therapy.

Participants with known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and/or hepatitis B or C infections, or known to be positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)/hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA or hepatitis C Antibody or ribonucleic acid (RNA).

I have not had a live vaccine in the last 30 days.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive MK-1484 as monotherapy or in combination with pembrolizumab every 3 weeks for up to 35 cycles

Up to 24 months

Every 3 weeks

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

3 months

Treatment Details

Interventions

• MK-1484
• Pembrolizumab

Trial Overview The study is testing MK-1484 alone and combined with Pembrolizumab in patients with advanced solid tumors. It aims to find out how safe these treatments are and determine the best dose for Phase 2 trials.

Participant Groups

Group I: MK-1484 + Pembrolizumab Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

Participants will receive MK-1484 Q3W at escalating dose levels from 10-60 mg plus pembrolizumab 200 mg once every 21-day cycle for up to a total of 35 cycles (up to approximately 24 months).

Group II: MK-1484 Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will receive MK-1484 every 3 weeks (Q3W) or 21-day cycle at escalating dose levels from 0.2-60 mg for up to a total of 35 cycles (up to approximately 24 months).

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC

Lead Sponsor

Trials

4,096

Recruited

5,232,000+

Chirfi Guindo

Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC

Chief Marketing Officer since 2022

Degree in Engineering from Ecole Centrale de Paris, MBA from New York University Stern School of Business

Robert M. Davis

Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC

Chief Executive Officer since 2021

JD from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, MBA from Northwestern University Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Bachelor's in Finance from Miami University

Findings from Research

In a phase II trial involving 15 patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), neoadjuvant treatment with pembrolizumab showed a major pathologic response in 27% of patients, indicating promising antitumor activity before surgery.

The treatment was found to be feasible and safe, with only 33% of patients experiencing moderate adverse events, and no postoperative mortality, suggesting that pembrolizumab does not compromise surgical outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Neoadjuvant anti-programmed death-1 immunotherapy by pembrolizumab in resectable non-small cell lung cancer: First clinical experience. Eichhorn, F., Klotz, LV., Kriegsmann, M., et al.[2022]

Pembrolizumab, a PD-1 inhibitor, has demonstrated clinical effectiveness in treating various solid tumors, particularly in patients with PD-L1-positive non-small-cell lung cancer and unresectable/metastatic melanoma.

Early-phase trials and ongoing studies are focused on further confirming the clinical benefits of pembrolizumab in thoracic malignancies, highlighting its potential as a significant treatment option in cancer therapy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pembrolizumab for the treatment of thoracic malignancies: current landscape and future directions. Karim, S., Leighl, N.[2017]

Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) was approved by the FDA for treating metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC) in patients with tumors expressing PD-L1, showing significant improvements in overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in two major clinical trials with thousands of participants.

In the KEYNOTE-024 trial, pembrolizumab demonstrated a 40% reduction in the risk of death compared to chemotherapy, while in the KEYNOTE-010 trial, it also showed a significant survival advantage over chemotherapy in patients who had previously progressed on treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

FDA Approval Summary: Pembrolizumab for Treatment of Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: First-Line Therapy and Beyond. Pai-Scherf, L., Blumenthal, GM., Li, H., et al.[2022]

Nivolumab and pembrolizumab are FDA-approved monoclonal antibodies that target PD-1, helping to enhance T cell activity against cancer by blocking the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction, which allows cancer cells to escape immune detection.

Both drugs have shown efficacy across multiple cancer types, including melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer, and are considered interchangeable options for treating these conditions, which may help manage the rising costs of cancer therapies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Nivolumab and pembrolizumab: Monoclonal antibodies against programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) that are interchangeable. Prasad, V., Kaestner, V.[2022]

Pembrolizumab is a monoclonal antibody that effectively blocks the PD-1 receptor on T cells, enhancing their ability to attack cancer cells, particularly in melanoma patients.

In a Phase I study involving 411 patients, pembrolizumab demonstrated high durable response rates with minimal toxicity, indicating its potential as a safe and effective treatment option for melanoma.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pembrolizumab joins the anti-PD-1 armamentarium in the treatment of melanoma. Hersey, P., Gowrishankar, K.[2017]

Pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA) was approved by the FDA for treating unresectable or metastatic melanoma based on two clinical trials involving 1,374 patients, showing significant improvements in overall survival compared to ipilimumab, with hazard ratios indicating a reduced risk of death.

Patients receiving pembrolizumab also experienced significant improvements in progression-free survival, although some immune-mediated adverse reactions like hypothyroidism and pneumonitis were noted, highlighting the importance of monitoring for side effects.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

FDA Approval Summary: Pembrolizumab for the Treatment of Patients with Unresectable or Metastatic Melanoma. Barone, A., Hazarika, M., Theoret, MR., et al.[2022]

Pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA) was approved by the FDA for treating advanced melanoma, showing an overall response rate of 24% in a trial of 89 patients, with 86% of responses lasting at least 6 months.

While there are potential immune-mediated side effects, the benefits of prolonged tumor response durations were deemed to outweigh these risks, marking an improvement over existing treatments.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

FDA Approval Summary: Accelerated Approval of Pembrolizumab for Second-Line Treatment of Metastatic Melanoma. Chuk, MK., Chang, JT., Theoret, MR., et al.[2021]

Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) effectively blocks the PD-1 pathway, enhancing T-cell activity against tumors, which supports its role in promoting tumor regression and immune rejection.

Preclinical studies in cynomolgus monkeys showed that pembrolizumab has a favorable safety profile with no significant toxicological findings, aligning with its demonstrated safety and efficacy in human clinical trials.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Biophysical and Immunological Characterization and In Vivo Pharmacokinetics and Toxicology in Nonhuman Primates of the Anti-PD-1 Antibody Pembrolizumab. Hutchins, B., Starling, GC., McCoy, MA., et al.[2021]

References

1. Ireland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Neoadjuvant anti-programmed death-1 immunotherapy by pembrolizumab in resectable non-small cell lung cancer: First clinical experience. [2022]

2. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pembrolizumab for the treatment of thoracic malignancies: current landscape and future directions. [2017]

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

FDA Approval Summary: Pembrolizumab for Treatment of Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: First-Line Therapy and Beyond. [2022]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Nivolumab and pembrolizumab: Monoclonal antibodies against programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) that are interchangeable. [2022]

5. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pembrolizumab joins the anti-PD-1 armamentarium in the treatment of melanoma. [2017]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

FDA Approval Summary: Pembrolizumab for the Treatment of Patients with Unresectable or Metastatic Melanoma. [2022]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

FDA Approval Summary: Accelerated Approval of Pembrolizumab for Second-Line Treatment of Metastatic Melanoma. [2021]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Biophysical and Immunological Characterization and In Vivo Pharmacokinetics and Toxicology in Nonhuman Primates of the Anti-PD-1 Antibody Pembrolizumab. [2021]