Recruiting
Phase 1
Phase 2

Pembrolizumab

Sponsor:

Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC

Code:

NCT04165070

Conditions

Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Pembrolizumab

Carboplatin

Paclitaxel

Pemetrexed

Vibostolimab

Study Details

Brief summary:

The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab (MK-3475) with or without chemotherapy in combination with vibostolimab (MK-7684), boserolimab (MK-5890), MK-4830, MK-0482, I-DXd, or HER3-DXd in treatment-naïve participants with advanced squamous or non-squamous NSCLC.

This study is one of the pembrolizumab substudies being conducted under one pembrolizumab umbrella master protocol (MK-3475-U01/KEYMAKER-U01).

Conditions

Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung

Study ID

NCT04165070

Start date

Dec 19, 2019

Status verified date

Aug, 2026

Completion date

Oct 13, 2032

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Feb 13, 2032

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

The main inclusion criteria include but are not limited to the following:

  • Has histologically- or cytologically-confirmed diagnosis of Stage IV squamous or nonsquamous NSCLC
  • Participants with nonsquamous NSCLC who are not eligible for an approved targeted therapy
  • Is able to provide archival tumor tissue sample collected either within 5 years or within the interval from completion of last treatment but before entering the screening period or newly obtained core or excisional biopsy of a tumor lesion not previously irradiated obtained within 90 days of treatment initiation
  • Has not received prior systemic treatment for their metastatic NSCLC
  • Is able to complete all screening procedures within the 35-day screening window for Part A and 28-day screening window for Part B

Exclusion Criteria:

The main exclusion criteria include but are not limited to the following:

  • Has a diagnosis of small cell lung cancer
  • Has a diagnosis of immunodeficiency or is receiving chronic systemic steroid therapy (in dosing exceeding 10 mg daily of prednisone equivalent) or any other form of immunosuppressive therapy within 7 days before the first dose of study treatment
  • Has a known additional malignancy that is progressing or has required active treatment within the past 2 years
  • Has known active central nervous system (CNS) metastases and/or carcinomatous meningitis
  • Has an active autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment in the past 2 years
  • Has a history of (noninfectious) pneumonitis that required steroids or has current pneumonitis
  • Has an active infection requiring systemic therapy
  • Has clinically significant cardiac disease, including unstable angina, acute myocardial infarction within 6 months from Day 1 of study treatment administration, or New York Heart Association Class III or IV congestive heart failure
  • Has a known history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Well-controlled HIV with anti-retroviral therapy (ART) is not excluded
  • Has a known history of Hepatitis B (HPV) or known active Hepatitis C virus infection. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive is eligible if on HBV antiviral therapy for at least 4 weeks and HBV viral load is undetectable prior to randomization
  • Has had major surgery <3 weeks before the first dose of study treatment
  • Is expected to require any other form of antineoplastic therapy while on study
  • Has a history or current evidence of a gastrointestinal (GI) condition (e.g. inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis) or impaired liver function or diseases that in the opinion of the investigator may significantly alter the absorption or metabolism of oral medications
  • Is getting chemotherapy and has clinically active diverticulitis, intra-abdominal abscess, GI obstruction, or peritoneal carcinomatosis
  • Has preexisting neuropathy that is moderate in intensity
  • Has received prior systemic cytotoxic chemotherapy or other targeted or biological antineoplastic therapy for metastatic disease
  • Is unable or unwilling to take folic acid or vitamin B12 supplementation, for participants who will receive pemetrexed
  • Has a known sensitivity to any component of carboplatin, paclitaxel, pemetrexed or any of their excipients
  • Has received prior radiation therapy to the lung that is >30 Gray (Gy) within 6 months of the first dose of study treatment
  • Has received a live vaccine within 30 days before the first dose of study treatment. Any licensed COVID-19 vaccine (including for Emergency Use) in a particular country is allowed as long as they are messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccines, adenoviral vaccines, or inactivated vaccines. Investigational vaccines (ie, those not licensed or approved for Emergency Use) are not allowed
  • Has received any prior immunotherapy and was discontinued from that treatment due to a severe or worse immune-related adverse event (irAE)
  • Has had chemotherapy or biological cancer therapy within 4 weeks before the first dose of study treatment or has not recovered to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) Grade 1 or better from the AEs due to cancer therapeutics administered more than 4 weeks before the first dose of study treatment (including participants who had previous immunomodulatory therapy with residual irAEs)
  • Is currently participating in or has participated in a study of an investigational agent or has used an investigational device within 4 weeks before the first dose of study treatment
  • Previously had a severe hypersensitivity reaction to treatment with monoclonal antibodies (including pembrolizumab) and/or any of their excipients
  • Has had an allogenic tissue/solid organ transplant

Study Design

Enrollment

450 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Part A: Pembrolizumab+Vibostolimab+Carboplatin + Paclitaxel

On Day 1 of each 3-week cycle, participants with squamous NSCLC receive pembrolizumab 200 mg intravenously (IV) PLUS vibostolimab IV PLUS carboplatin Area Under the Concentration-Time Curve (AUC) 6 IV PLUS paclitaxel 200 mg/m\^2 IV in Cycles 1-4, followed by maintenance treatment of pembrolizumab 200 mg IV PLUS vibostolimab IV in Cycles 5-35 (total treatment duration: up to approximately 2 years).

experimental: Part A: Pembrolizumab+Vibostolimab+Carboplatin + Pemetrexed

On Day 1 of each 3-week cycle, participants with nonsquamous NSCLC receive pembrolizumab 200 mg IV PLUS vibostolimab IV PLUS carboplatin AUC 5 IV PLUS pemetrexed 500 mg/m\^2 IV in Cycles 1-4, followed by maintenance treatment of pembrolizumab 200 mg IV PLUS vibostolimab IV PLUS pemetrexed 500 mg/m\^2 IV in Cycles 5-35 (total treatment duration: up to approximately 2 years).

experimental: Part A: Pembrolizumab+Boserolimab+Carboplatin+Paclitaxel

On Day 1 of each 3-week cycle, participants with squamous NSCLC receive pembrolizumab 200 mg IV PLUS carboplatin AUC 6 IV PLUS paclitaxel 200 mg/m\^2 IV PLUS boserolimab IV on Day 1 every 6 weeks (every other 3-week cycle) (Q6W) in Cycles 1-4, followed by maintenance treatment of pembrolizumab 200 mg IV Q3W PLUS boserolimab IV Q6W from Cycles 5 up to Cycle 35 (total treatment duration: up to approximately 2 years).

experimental: Part A: Pembrolizumab+Boserolimab+Carboplatin+Pemetrexed

On Day 1 of each 3-week cycle, participants with nonsquamous NSCLC receive pembrolizumab 200 mg IV PLUS carboplatin AUC 5 IV PLUS pemetrexed 500 mg/m\^2 IV PLUS boserolimab IV on Day 1 every 6 weeks (every other 3-week cycle) (Q6W) in Cycles 1-4, followed by maintenance treatment of pembrolizumab 200 mg IV Q3W PLUS pemetrexed 500 mg/m\^2 IV Q3W PLUS boserolimab IV Q6W from Cycles 5 up to Cycle 35 (total treatment duration: up to approximately 2 years).

experimental: Part A: Pembrolizumab+MK-4830+Carboplatin+Paclitaxel

On Day 1 of each 3-week cycle, participants with squamous NSCLC receive pembrolizumab 200 mg IV PLUS MK-4830 IV PLUS carboplatin AUC 6 IV PLUS paclitaxel 200 mg/m\^2 IV in Cycles 1-4, followed by maintenance treatment of pembrolizumab 200 mg IV PLUS MK-4830 IV in Cycles 5-35 (total treatment duration: up to approximately 2 years).

experimental: Part A: Pembrolizumab+MK-4830+Carboplatin+Pemetrexed

On Day 1 of each 3-week cycle, participants with nonsquamous NSCLC receive pembrolizumab 200 mg IV PLUS MK-4830 IV PLUS carboplatin AUC 5 IV PLUS pemetrexed 500 mg/m\^2 IV in Cycles 1-4, followed by maintenance treatment of pembrolizumab 200 mg IV PLUS MK-4830 IV PLUS pemetrexed 500 mg/m\^2 IV in Cycles 5-35 (total treatment duration: up to approximately 2 years).

experimental: Part A: Pembrolizumab+MK-0482+Carboplatin+Paclitaxel

On Day 1 of each 3-week cycle, participants with squamous NSCLC receive pembrolizumab 200 mg IV PLUS MK-0482 IV PLUS carboplatin AUC 6 IV PLUS paclitaxel 200 mg/m\^2 IV in Cycles 1-4, followed by maintenance treatment of pembrolizumab 200 mg IV PLUS MK-0482 IV in Cycles 5-35 (total treatment duration: up to approximately 2 years).

experimental: Part A: Pembrolizumab+MK-0482+Carboplatin+Pemetrexed

On Day 1 of each 3-week cycle, participants with nonsquamous NSCLC receive pembrolizumab 200 mg IV PLUS MK-0482 IV PLUS carboplatin AUC 5 IV PLUS pemetrexed 500 mg/m\^2 IV in Cycles 1-4, followed by maintenance treatment of pembrolizumab 200 mg IV PLUS MK-0482 IV PLUS pemetrexed 500 mg/m\^2 IV in Cycles 5-35 (total treatment duration: up to approximately 2 years).

experimental: Part B: Pembrolizumab + I-DXd

On Day 1 of each 3-week cycle, participants with squamous and nonsquamous NSCLC will receive pembrolizumab 200 mg IV for up to 2 years, PLUS I-DXd in escalating doses until progressive disease or toxicity.

experimental: Part B: Pembrolizumab + Carboplatin + I-DXd

On Day 1 of each 3-week cycle, participants will receive pembrolizumab 200 mg IV for up to 2 years, PLUS carboplatin AUC 5-6 up to 4 cycles PLUS I-DXd IV in escalating doses until PD or toxicity.

experimental: Part B: Pembrolizumab + Carboplatin + HER3-DXd

On Day 1 of each 3-week cycle, participants will receive pembrolizumab 200 mg IV for up to 2 years, PLUS carboplatin AUC 5-6 up to 4 cycles PLUS HER3-DXd IV in escalating doses until PD or toxicity.

Interventions

Pembrolizumab

IV infusion

Carboplatin

IV infusion

Paclitaxel

IV infusion

Pemetrexed

IV infusion

Vibostolimab

IV infusion

Boserolimab

IV infusion

MK-4830

IV infusion

MK-0482

IV Infusion

Ifinatamab Deruxtecan (I-DXd)

IV infusion

HER3-DXd

IV Infusion

Primary outcome measure

  • Part A: Objective Response Rate (ORR) According to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors Version 1.1 (RECIST 1.1) [ Time Frame: Up to approximately 24 months ]
  • Part B: Number of Participants Who Experience One or More Adverse Events (AEs) [ Time Frame: Up to approximately 27 months ]
  • Part B: Number of Participants Who Discontinue Study Intervention Due to an Adverse Event (AE) [ Time Frame: Up to approximately 24 months ]
  • Part B: Number of Participants Who Experience a Dose Limiting Toxicity (DLT) [ Time Frame: Up to approximately 3 Weeks ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Toll Free Number

1-888-577-8839Trialsites@msd.com

Locations

Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center ( Site 0016)

Recruiting

Lebanon, New Hampshire, United States, 03766

Contacts

Study Coordinator

603-650-4428

Sanford Fargo Medical Center ( Site 0039)

Recruiting

Fargo, North Dakota, United States, 58102

Contacts

Study Coordinator

701-234-2000

The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute at The Ohio State University Comprehensive C ( Site 0015)

Recruiting

Columbus, Ohio, United States, 43210

Contacts

Study Coordinator

614-366-0233

Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania ( Site 0010)

Recruiting

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19104

Contacts

Study Coordinator

215-220-9703

Sanford Cancer Center ( Site 0038)

Recruiting

Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States, 57104

Contacts

Study Coordinator

605-328-8000

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center ( Site 0009)

Recruiting

Houston, Texas, United States, 77030

Contacts

Study Coordinator

844-465-0138

More Information

Sponsor

Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC

Last update posted

Aug 25, 2026

Last verified

Aug, 2026

Keywords

  • Programmed Cell Death-1 (PD1, PD-1)
  • Programmed Death-Ligand 1 (PDL1, PD-L1)

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-10-07. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC on 2026-08-25. Recruitment status is synced daily from ClinicalTrials.gov and may not reflect the sponsor's current status. Confirm during your call.