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CompletedNCT03245489Updated Jan 31, 2025

Anti-platelet + Pembro for H&N Tumors

A Phase 1 interventional study of Pembrolizumab and Clopidogrel in Head and Neck Cancer, sponsored by Medical University of South Carolina. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-01-31.

Sponsored by Medical University of South Carolina · Phase 1, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Primary completion was Nov 2023, 2 years 10 months ago, and no results have been posted to the registry.
Phase
Phase 1
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
20
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The purpose of this study is to see if anti-platelet therapy combined with anti-PD-1 immunotherapy can cause a more favorable immunologic response thatn with immunotherapy alone in patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

02

Conditions studied

  • Head and Neck Cancer
03

In context

Head and Neck Neoplasms

2,344 studies on the registry are indexed under Head and Neck Neoplasms; 552 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 20 is below the median of 47 across 1,751 interventional studies indexed under Head and Neck Neoplasms.

Browse Head and Neck Neoplasms studies →

Lead sponsor

Medical University of South Carolina is the lead sponsor of 852 studies on the registry; 165 are open to participants now.

Of its 128 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 101 (79%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  1. Subject has pathologic confirmation of recurrent or metastatic HNSCC, regardless of HPV status.
  2. Subject has tumor that expresses PD-L1 (Combined Positive Score [CPS] > 1) as determined by an FDA-approved test or subject has experienced disease progression on or after platinum-containing chemotherapy.
  3. Subject's scans have been reviewed at head and neck tumor board to assess tumor involvement.
  4. Subject is 18 years of age or older.
  5. Subject has measurable disease according to RECIST 1.1. Tumor lesions situated in previously irradiated areas are considered measurable if progression has been demonstrated in such lesions.
  6. Subject has an ECOG performance status of 0 to 2
  7. Subject has estimated life expectancy of at least 3 months.
  8. Subject has adequate hematologic function, defined as:

    1. ANC >1000 K/CUMM
    2. Hemoglobin >8.0 Grams/dL
    3. Platelets >75,000 K/CUMM
    4. INR \< 1.7
  9. Subject has adequate renal function, defined as estimated creatinine clearance > 30 mL/min according to the Cockcroft-Gault formula.
  10. Subject has adequate hepatic function, defined as:

    1. Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x ULN
    2. AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 x ULN
  11. Female and male subjects of childbearing potential must be willing to use an adequate method of contraception for the course of the study through 120 days after the last dose of study medication. Effective forms of contraception include abstinence, hormonal contraceptive in conjunction with a barrier method, or a double barrier method. Women of non-child-bearing potential may be included if they are either surgically sterile or have been post-menopausal for > 1 year.

Note: Female subjects of childbearing potential must have a negative urine or serum pregnancy test within 14 days of registration. If the urine test is positive or cannot be confirmed as negative, a serum pregnancy test will be required.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Subject is receiving concomitant immunosuppressive therapy, defined as:

    1. Immunosuppressants, including: tacrolimus, sirolimus, everolimus, cyclosporine, azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil, antithymocyte globulin, basiliximab, belatacept
    2. Systemic corticosteroids (except for short term treatment of allergic reactions or for treatment of irAE). Steroids with no or minimal systemic effect (topical, inhalation) are allowed.
    3. Chemotherapy
    4. Immunotherapy
    5. Monoclonal antibodies
  2. Concurrent anticancer treatment within 14 days before the start of trial treatment.
  3. Subject has had major surgery within the last 28 days.
  4. Subject has an underlying bleeding disorder.
  5. Subjects requiring re-irradiation to head and neck.
  6. Subject is receiving anticoagulation (see section 7.2 for medication examples). Subjects must have a washout period of 7 days from registration.
  7. Subject has HNSCC with abutment or encasement of the internal carotid artery, external carotid artery or common carotid artery or any of the arterial branches.
  8. Subject has a draining fistula or wound in the head/neck.
  9. Subject with known aneurysm or pseudoaneurysm of the head/neck related to surgery.
  10. Subject has uncontrolled CNS metastases. Subjects with previously treated brain metastases will be allowed if the brain metastases have been stable without CNS-directed therapy (such as radiation or surgery) or steroid treatment for for at least 4 weeks prior to registration.
  11. Receipt of any organ transplantation.
  12. Active or history of any autoimmune disease (except type I DM, vitiligo, psoriasis, hypo- or hyperthyroid disease not requiring immunosuppressive treatment, which are allowed) or immunodeficiencies.
  13. Known severe hypersensitivity reactions to monoclonal antibodies (grade ≥ 3NCI-CTCAE v4.0), any history of anaphylaxis or uncontrolled asthma.
  14. Subjects who have a hypersensitivity to aspirin or NSAIDs.
  15. Concurrent NSAID therapy (see section 7 for examples). Subjects must have a washout period of 7 days from registration.
  16. Subjects with an acute gastrointestinal ulcer.
  17. Subjects with active hemorrhagic diathesis.
  18. Clinically significant (i.e., active) cardiovascular disease: cerebral vascular accident/stroke (\< 6 months prior to enrollment), myocardial infarction (\< 6 months prior to enrollment), unstable angina, congestive heart failure (NYHA class ≥ II), or serious uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmia.
  19. All other significant diseases, which in the opinion of the investigator, may impair the subject's tolerance of trial treatment.
  20. Vaccination within 4 weeks of the 1st dose of pembrolizumab and while on study is prohibited EXCEPT for administration of inactivated vaccines (e.g. inactivated influenza vaccine).
  21. Women who are pregnant or nursing.
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 1
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Crossover assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
20 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Group 1

    Group 1 will be treated with Regimen A, followed by Regimen B. Regimen A is pembrolizumab, ASA and clopidogrel daily for 6 weeks. Regimen B is pembrolizumab alone for 6 weeks.

    Drug: Pembrolizumab · Drug: Clopidogrel · Drug: acetylsalicylic acid

  • Experimental
    Group 2

    Group 2 will be treated with Regimen B, followed by Regimen A. Regimen B is pembrolizumab alone for 6 weeks. Regimen A is pembrolizumab, ASA and clopidogrel daily for 6 weeks.

    Drug: Pembrolizumab · Drug: Clopidogrel · Drug: acetylsalicylic acid

Interventions

  • DrugPembrolizumab

    200mg intravenous (IV) over 30 minutes

    Also known as: Keytruda

  • DrugClopidogrel

    75mg/day oral

    Also known as: Plavix

  • Drugacetylsalicylic acid

    81mg/day oral

    Also known as: ASA, aspirin

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Effect of Pembro + antiplatelet on major cellular parameters

    Immunologic response profile will be measured by changes in major cellular parameters in peripheral blood mononuclear cells pheotyped by flow cytometry for MDSCs, T and B cell activation markers and polyclonal IFNy-production by CD4 and CD8 response after P/I stimulation) in pembrolizumab alone and pembrolizumab + antiplatelet therapy. Markers will be measured at baseline, end of the first regimen and end of the second regimen. Changes in cellular parameters from the previous timepoint will be evaluated using a repeated measures ANOVA model. Cellular parameters will be evaluated in aggregate to report the immunologic response.

    Time frame: 12 weeks

Secondary outcomes

  1. Effect of Pembro + antiplatelets on immunologic markers

    Immunologic markers will be measured in patients who have been treated with two cycles of pembrolizumab alone and who are pembrolizumab naive. Markers will be evaluated by looking at phyenotyping by flow cytometry and changes of 65-panel systemic cytokines and chemokine levels. Markers will be measured at baseline, end of the first regimen and end of the second regimen. Changes to markers will be reported in aggregate to show the overall immunologic effect of the combination of pembrolizumab + Anti-platelets in patients.

    Time frame: 12 weeks

  2. Frequency of adverse events reported

    Safety data will be tabulated by type and grade of adverse event and will use CTCAE v. 4.0

    Time frame: 12 weeks

  3. Tumor response rate

    Objective response will be evaluated with computed tomography (CT) of the neck, chest and abdomen at baseline and post-treatment using RECIST 1.1 criteria.

    Time frame: 12 weeks

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Medical University of South Carolina
    Charleston, South Carolina 29425, United States
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jan 31, 2025, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03245489
Lead sponsor
Medical University of South Carolina
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Aug 10, 2017
Start date
Mar 6, 2018
Primary completion
Nov 20, 2023
Completion
Nov 20, 2024
Last update
Jan 31, 2025

Study contacts

John Kaczmar, MD
principal investigator · Medical University of South Carolina

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in Jan 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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