Neoadjuvant Pembrolizumab for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

(TOP 1501 Trial)

Not currently recruiting at 2 trial locations

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Phase 2

Sponsor: Neal Ready MD PhD

Must not be taking: Antibiotics, Antifungals, Antivirals, Corticosteroids

Disqualifiers: Active infection, Autoimmune disease, HIV, others

Stay on Your Current Meds You can continue your current medications while participating

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

Prior Safety Data This treatment has passed at least one previous human trial

Breakthrough Therapy This drug has been fast-tracked for approval by the FDA given its high promise

Approved in 3 Jurisdictions This treatment is already approved in other countries

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 10

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests pembrolizumab, a type of immunotherapy, to determine if it can help the immune system combat non-small cell lung cancer before and after surgery. The study examines how pembrolizumab affects immune cells and their ability to target cancer cells. Individuals with stage IB, II, or IIIA non-small cell lung cancer that can be surgically removed and have not received prior treatment for their current lung cancer might be suitable candidates. As a Phase 2 trial, the research focuses on measuring the treatment's effectiveness in an initial, smaller group of participants.

Do I have to stop taking my current medications for the trial?

The trial protocol does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications. However, you cannot take any other anti-tumor therapy or systemic steroid therapy within 7 days before starting the trial treatment.

Is there any evidence suggesting that pembrolizumab is likely to be safe for humans?

Research has shown that pembrolizumab is generally safe for patients with non-small cell lung cancer. In earlier studies, patients who took pembrolizumab before surgery found it safe. Most side effects were mild, though some patients experienced more serious reactions. For instance, reports indicated severe side effects, though not everyone had them.

Pembrolizumab is already approved for treating advanced lung cancer, providing extensive safety information. It works by helping the immune system fight cancer, which can sometimes lead to side effects. However, it is generally well-tolerated, and many patients benefit from its use. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why do researchers think this study treatment might be promising for non-small cell lung cancer?

Pembrolizumab is unique because it harnesses the power of the immune system to fight non-small cell lung cancer. Unlike traditional chemotherapy that directly attacks cancer cells, pembrolizumab is an immunotherapy that blocks a protein called PD-1, effectively allowing the immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells. This mechanism of action offers a targeted approach, potentially leading to fewer side effects and improved outcomes for patients. Researchers are excited because pembrolizumab, used both before and after surgery, might enhance the body's ability to eliminate residual cancer cells, reducing the risk of recurrence and improving long-term survival rates.

What evidence suggests that pembrolizumab might be an effective treatment for non-small cell lung cancer?

Research has shown that pembrolizumab can greatly improve outcomes for patients with non-small cell lung cancer. In earlier studies, administering pembrolizumab before and after surgery extended the time patients lived without cancer-related issues and led to significant tumor shrinkage or disappearance. Patients experienced fewer cancer problems, and their tumors reduced in size or vanished. Pembrolizumab enhances the immune system's ability to find and attack cancer cells. It is already approved for treating advanced lung cancer, demonstrating its effectiveness. This trial will evaluate the use of pembrolizumab around the time of surgery to determine its potential effectiveness for early-stage lung cancer. ^{2 3 6 7 8}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Neal Ready, MD

Principal Investigator

Duke University

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for adults over 18 with stage IB-IIIA non-small cell lung cancer who haven't had prior treatments for it. They must be surgical candidates, not pregnant, and willing to undergo research blood sampling. Excluded are those with recent major surgery, other active cancers or serious illnesses, known infections like Hepatitis B/C or TB, autoimmune diseases treated in the last 2 years, heart issues within the past 6 months, or any condition that could affect study participation.

Inclusion Criteria

My lung cancer is at a stage where surgery is possible.

My lung cancer diagnosis was confirmed through lab tests.

My doctor says I can have surgery.

Exclusion Criteria

Inability to comply with protocol or study procedures

Is pregnant or breastfeeding, or expecting to conceive or father children within the projected duration of the trial

I have a history of lung scarring or fibrosis.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Neoadjuvant Treatment

Participants receive two doses of pembrolizumab prior to surgery

4-8 weeks

2 visits (in-person)

Surgery

Participants undergo surgery to remove the tumor

1 week

1 visit (in-person)

Adjuvant Treatment

Participants receive four doses of pembrolizumab after surgery

6 months

4 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

10.5 months

3 visits (in-person)

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Pembrolizumab

Trial Overview The trial tests pembrolizumab as an immunotherapy before and after surgery in patients with certain stages of lung cancer. It aims to see how this drug affects immune cells called TILs against cancer cells. Pembrolizumab is approved for advanced cases but its use here is investigational.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Pembrolizumab prior to and after surgery Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Pembrolizumab is already approved in United States, European Union, United Kingdom for the following indications:

Approved in United States as KEYTRUDA for:

• Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) with PD-L1 CPS ≥1
• Melanoma
• Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
• Urothelial carcinoma
• Colorectal cancer
• Gastric cancer
• Hepatocellular carcinoma
• Renal cell carcinoma
• Cervical cancer
• Endometrial carcinoma

Approved in European Union as KEYTRUDA for:

• Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) with PD-L1 CPS ≥1
• Melanoma
• Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
• Urothelial carcinoma
• Colorectal cancer
• Gastric cancer
• Hepatocellular carcinoma
• Renal cell carcinoma
• Cervical cancer
• Endometrial carcinoma

Approved in United Kingdom as KEYTRUDA for:

• Untreated metastatic or unresectable recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) with PD-L1 CPS ≥1

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Neal Ready MD PhD

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1

Recruited

40+

Neal Ready

Lead Sponsor

Trials

2

Recruited

40+

Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC

Industry 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

Published Research Related to This Trial

In a Phase 2 study involving 35 patients with non-small cell lung cancer, neoadjuvant pembrolizumab was found to be safe and well tolerated, with only one surgery delay due to thyroiditis and no mortality within 90 days post-surgery.

The study showed a high rate of R0 resection (88%) and a major pathologic response in 28% of patients, indicating that pembrolizumab may be more effective than standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy in this setting.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Perioperative outcomes of pulmonary resection after neoadjuvant pembrolizumab in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Tong, BC., Gu, L., Wang, X., 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, a monoclonal antibody targeting PD-1, showed significant efficacy in treating a 79-year-old patient with advanced squamous cell lung cancer, leading to a complete response after just 3 cycles of treatment.

However, the patient developed acute myelomonocytic leukemia after starting pembrolizumab, highlighting a potential safety concern that warrants further investigation into the drug's effects on blood cell production.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Acute myelomonocytic leukemia during pembrolizumab treatment for non-small cell lung cancer: A case report. Kim, HB., Park, SG., Hong, R., et al.[2020]

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]

In a study involving 1033 patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), pembrolizumab significantly improved overall survival compared to docetaxel, with a hazard ratio of 0.66, indicating a 34% reduction in the risk of death.

The effectiveness of pembrolizumab was consistent across both archival and newly collected tumor samples, with better outcomes observed in patients with higher PD-L1 expression (TPS ≥50%), showing hazard ratios of 0.64 and 0.40 for overall survival, respectively.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Use of archival versus newly collected tumor samples for assessing PD-L1 expression and overall survival: an updated analysis of KEYNOTE-010 trial. Herbst, RS., Baas, P., Perez-Gracia, JL., et al.[2023]

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, an immune checkpoint inhibitor, can cause pneumonitis in 1%-5% of patients, and this case report highlights an atypical presentation of this side effect in a patient with metastatic squamous cell carcinoma.

The patient was successfully treated with steroid therapy after ruling out other potential causes, leading to complete resolution of the pneumonitis, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and managing atypical cases of checkpoint inhibitor-pneumonitis.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Recurrent and atypical immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced pneumonitis. Jeon, WJ., Nguyen, J., Castillo, DR., et al.[2023]

Pembrolizumab is a safe and effective immune checkpoint inhibitor that targets the PD-1 receptor, currently approved for treating advanced melanoma and metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Ongoing studies are exploring the potential of pembrolizumab in combination with other treatments for lung cancer and other cancer types, while also investigating biomarkers that may predict patient response to this therapy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pembrolizumab for the treatment of PD-L1 positive advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. Dang, TO., Ogunniyi, A., Barbee, MS., et al.[2020]

Citations

1. keytrudahcp.com keytrudahcp.com/efficacy/

Efficacy Data for KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) KEYTRUDA is indicated for the adjuvant treatment of adult and pediatric (12 years and older) patients with stage IIB, IIC, or III melanoma following complete ...

2. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03425643

NCT03425643 | Efficacy and Safety of Pembrolizumab (MK ... This trial will evaluate the safety and efficacy of pembrolizumab (MK-3475) in combination with platinum doublet neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) ...

3. nejm.org nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2302983

Perioperative Pembrolizumab for Early-Stage Non–Small- ... Neoadjuvant pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy followed by resection and adjuvant pembrolizumab significantly improved event-free survival, major pathological ...

4. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37822936/

Cost-effectiveness of neoadjuvant pembrolizumab plus ... Introduction: Perioperative (neoadjuvant and adjuvant) pembrolizumab has shown favorable efficacy in patients with early-stage non-small cell ...

5. merck.com merck.com/news/five-year-data-for-mercks-keytruda-pembrolizumab-plus-chemotherapy-showed-sustained-survival-benefit-versus-chemotherapy-alone-in-two-studies-for-metastatic-non-small-cell-lung-cancer-nsclc/

Five-Year Data for Merck's KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab ... Five-year overall survival rate of 19.4% and 18.4% for KEYTRUDA plus chemotherapy in KEYNOTE-189 and KEYNOTE-407, respectively.

6. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39904561/

Perioperative pembrolizumab in early-stage non-small cell ... Conclusions: Perioperative pembrolizumab was safe and effective with promising MPR rate, PFS, and OS. Keywords: Biomarker; Immune Checkpoint ...

7. merck.com merck.com/news/keytruda-pembrolizumab-demonstrates-long-term-survival-benefit-in-certain-patients-with-earlier-or-advanced-stages-of-non-small-cell-lung-cancer-nsclc/

KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) Demonstrates Long-Term ... “The five-year benefit demonstrated across overall survival and event-free survival from KEYNOTE-671 supports the continued use of this ...

8. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0305737224001610

Surgical and safety outcomes in patients with non-small ... Neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy improves resection rates but increases high-grade TRAEs and AEs leading to surgery cancellation.