ClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT03278782Updated Oct 28, 2026Results posted

Study of Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) in Combination With Romidepsin

A Phase 1/2 interventional study of Pembrolizumab and Romidepsin in Recurrent Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma, Recurrent Angioimmunoblastic T-Cell Lymphoma and Recurrent Mature T- and NK-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, sponsored by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-28.

Sponsored by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center · Phase 1/2, Interventional, and Treatment

Updated Oct 28, 2026Now CompletedResults posted+5 moreGo to Updates ↓
Phase
Phase 1/2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
38
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Where this study stands

Counted across the records on this site · 2026-11-12

Among 11 studies in Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center — none open to participants now, none under way, none of them phase 3. Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic · M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Enrollment
2nd of 11
38 · median 2
Started
2017
the only one that year
Phase 1/2
4 of 11
none open now
Registered
10th of 11
by date

Among the 11 studies in Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, this one is the 2nd largest by enrollment, is the only one that started in 2017, is one of 4 in phase 1/2, and was the 10th registered.

Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic

397 studies on the registry are indexed under Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic; 26 are open to participants now.

Browse Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic studies →

Open to participants now

None of the 11 studies in Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center is open now.

Where they have run

Who these studies take

Of the 21 Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic studies recruiting now, 12 (57%) set no upper age limit and 6 (29%) stop at 75 or younger; 8 take children under 18; 1 take healthy volunteers.

This study: 18 Years and older · all sexes · no healthy volunteers.

The full table on the hub →

This tab as a report to print or save as PDF → With an account.

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Download CSVNarrow it in search →With an account: the 11 studies in Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center as a file.
02

Study summary

This phase I/II trial studies the side effects of pembrolizumab and romidepsin and to see how well they work in treating participants with peripheral T-cell lymphoma that has come back or that does not respond to treatment. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Romidepsin may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Giving pembrolizumab and romidepsin may work better than pembrolizumab alone in treating participants with recurrent or refractory peripheral T-cell lymphoma.

Read the detailed description

Primary Objectives:

  1. Evaluate the safety of pembrolizumab in combination with romidepsin.
  2. Estimate the response rate of the combination therapy in refractory or recurrent PTCL

Secondary Objectives:

  1. Estimate progression free survival (PFS).
  2. Estimate overall survival (OS).
  3. Estimate complete response (CR) and duration of response (DOR).
  4. Estimate the event-free survival (EFS) and the failure free survival (FFS)
  5. Estimate the overall response rate (ORR) per Lugano criteria.

Exploratory Objectives:

  1. Assess activation of T-cells after treatment in peripheral blood and tumor microenvironment.
  2. Correlate features of peripheral blood T-cell activation with toxicities, clinical response, and PFS.

OUTLINE:

Participants receive romidepsin intravenously (IV) over 4 hours on days 1 and 8 or day 8 of cycle 1 and days 1 and 8 of subsequent cycles and pembrolizumab IV over 30 minutes on day 1. Cycles repeat every 21 days for up to 36 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

After completion of study treatment, participants are followed up at 30 days and then every 12 weeks.

03

Conditions studied

  • Recurrent Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma
  • Recurrent Angioimmunoblastic T-Cell Lymphoma
  • Recurrent Mature T- and NK-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
  • Recurrent Mycosis Fungoides
  • Recurrent Primary Cutaneous T-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
  • Refractory Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma
  • Refractory Angioimmunoblastic T-Cell Lymphoma
  • Refractory Mature T-Cell and NK-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
  • Refractory Mycosis Fungoides
  • Refractory Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma, Not Otherwise Specified
  • Refractory Primary Cutaneous T-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
04

Who can participate

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

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma (including but not limited to PTCL-NOS, angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, anaplastic large T-cell lymphoma). Patients with mycosis fungoides with large cell transformation with are eligible.
  2. Disease status defined as to or relapsed after ≥ 1 prior treatment lines.
  3. Patients irrespective of transplant eligibility status can be enrolled; however patients can be seen by SCT team in anticipation for SCT.
  4. Subjects with ALK+ ALCL should have been treated with, be ineligible for, or have refused chemotherapy and brentuximab prior to enrollment on the current study.
  5. Patients with a measurable disease, defined by a node or mass with the longest diameter ≥ 1.5cm.

Inclusion Criteria:

In order to be eligible for participation in this trial, the subject must:

  1. Be willing and able to provide written /assent for the trial.
  2. Be 18 years of age on day of signing informed consent.
  3. Patients with PTCL should have radiographically measurable disease >/= 1.5cm.
  4. Be willing to provide tissue from a newly obtained core or excisional of a tumor lesion. Newly-obtained is defined as a specimen obtained up to 12 weeks(84 days) prior to initiation of treatment on Day 1. Subjects for whom newly-obtained samples cannot be provided (e.g. inaccessible or subject safety concern) may submit an archived specimen.
  5. Have a performance status of 0, 1 or 2 on the Performance Scale.
  6. Demonstrate adequate organ function as defined in Table 1, all screening labs should be performed within 14 days of treatment initiation.

    Table 1 Adequate Organ Function Laboratory Values System Laboratory Value

    • Hematological
    • (ANC) ≥ 1000 /mcL
    • ≥100,000 / mcL. If bone marrow is involved, platelets should be at least 50K and ANC 750 / mcL
    • ≥ 8g/dL without transfusion or EPO dependency (within 7 days of assessment)
    • Renal
    • Serum creatinine OR Measured or calculateda ( can also be used in place of creatinine or CrCl) ≤1.5 X (ULN) OR

      ≥60 mL/min for subject with creatinine levels > 1.5 X institutional ULN

    • Hepatic
    • Serum total ≤ 1.5 X ULN OR Direct bilirubin ≤ ULN for subjects with total bilirubin levels > 1.5 ULN
    • (SGOT) and ALT (SGPT) ≤ 2.5 X ULN OR

      ≤ 5 X ULN for subjects with liver

    • Albumin > 2 mg/dL
    • Coagulation (INR) or Prothrombin Time (PT) Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (aPTT) ≤1.5 X ULN unless subject is receiving anticoagulant therapy as long as PT or PTT is within therapeutic range of intended use of anticoagulants ≤1.5 X ULN unless subject is receiving anticoagulant therapy as long as PT or PTT is within therapeutic range of intended use of anticoagulants aCreatinine clearance should be calculated per institutional standard.
  7. Female subject of should have a negative urine or serum pregnancy within 72 hours prior to receiving the first dose of study medication. If the urine test is positive or cannot be confirmed as negative, a serum pregnancy test will be required.
  8. Female subjects of childbearing potential (Section 5.7.2) must be willing to use an adequate method of as outlined in Section 5.7.2 - Contraception, for the course of the study through 120 days after the last dose of study medication.

    Note: Abstinence is acceptable if this is the usual lifestyle and preferred contraception for the subject.

  9. Male subjects of childbearing potential (Section 5.7. .2 must agree to use an adequate method of contraception as outlined in Section 5.7. .2- Contraception, starting with the first dose of study therapy through 120 days after the last dose of study therapy.

    Note: Abstinence is acceptable if this is the usual lifestyle and preferred contraception for the subject.

  10. Relapsed/refractory Cutaneous T cell Lymphomas (CTCL) patients with transformed and aggressive T Cell with predominant lymph node involvement and those that are measurable by standard T Cell criterial. These patients require failure of at least one prior systemic therapy for the transformed lymphoma.

Exclusion Criteria:

The subject must be excluded from participating in the trial if the subject:

  1. Is currently receiving study therapy or has participated in a study of an agent and received study therapy or used an investigational device within 4 weeks of the first dose of treatment.
  2. Has a diagnosis of immunodeficiency, is receiving systemic above physiologic dose (>10mg/day prednisone or equivalent) within 5 half lives after the last dose of steroid of start of therapy or is receiving any other form of therapy.
  3. Has a known history of active TB (Bacillus Tuberculosis)
  4. to pembrolizumab or any of its .
  5. Has had a prior anti-cancer monoclonal antibody (mAb) within 4 weeks prior to study Day 1 or who has not recovered (i.e., ≤ Grade 1 or at baseline) from adverse events due to agents administered more than 4 weeks earlier.
  6. Has had prior chemotherapy, targeted small molecule therapy, or radiation therapy within 2 weeks prior to study Day 1 or who has not recovered (i.e., ≤ Grade 1 or at baseline) from adverse events due to a previously administered agent.

    • Note: Subjects with ≤ Grade 2 neuropathy are an exception to this criterion and may qualify for the study.
    • Note: If subject received major surgery, they must have recovered adequately from the toxicity and/or complications from the intervention prior to starting therapy.
  7. Has a known additional that is progressing or requires active treatment within the last 3 years Exceptions include basal cell carcinoma of the skin, resected renal cell cancer or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin that has undergone potentially curative therapy or in situ cervical cancer.
  8. Has known active central nervous system (CNS) metastases and/or carcinomatous meningitis. Subjects with previously treated may participate provided they are stable (without evidence of progression by imaging for at least four weeks prior to the first dose of trial treatment and any neurologic symptoms have returned to baseline), have no evidence of new or enlarging brain metastases, and are not using steroids for at least 7 days prior to trial treatment. This exception does not include carcinomatous meningitis which is excluded regardless of clinical stability.
  9. Has active disease that has required systemic treatment in the past 2 years (i.e. with use of disease modifying agents, corticosteroids or immunosuppressive drugs). Replacement therapy (e.g., thyroxine, insulin, or physiologic corticosteroid replacement therapy for adrenal or pituitary insufficiency, etc.) is not considered a form of systemic treatment.
  10. Has known history of non-infectious pneumonitis that required systemic steroid use, or has active pneumonitis.
  11. Has an active infection requiring systemic therapy.
  12. Has a history or current evidence of any condition, therapy, or laboratory abnormality that might confound the results of the trial, interfere with the subject's participation for the full duration of the trial, or is not in the best interest of the subject to participate, in the opinion of the treating investigator.
  13. Has known psychiatric or substance abuse disorders that would interfere with cooperation with the requirements of the trial.
  14. Is pregnant or breastfeeding, or expecting to conceive or father children within the projected duration of the trial, starting with the pre-screening or screening visit through 120 days after the last dose of trial treatment.
  15. Has received prior therapy with an , anti-PD-L1, or anti-PD-L2 agent.
  16. Has a known history of (HIV) (HIV 1/2 antibodies).
  17. Has known active (e.g., HBsAg reactive) or (e.g., HCV RNA [qualitative] is detected).
  18. Baseline shows > 470 msec
  19. Concomitant use of strong inhibitors and inducers.
  20. Has received a within 30 days of planned start of study therapy. Note: Seasonal influenza vaccines for injection are generally inactivated flu vaccines and are allowed; however intranasal influenza vaccines (e.g., Flu-Mist®) are live attenuated vaccines, and are not allowed.
  21. Has undergone prior allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation any time.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(33)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Measurable disease

The amount of disease can be tracked with a defined measurement, so the study can see whether it shrinks or grows. It might be a tumour measured on a scan or, in some blood cancers such as myeloma, a marker measured in blood or urine.

The criteria or the study team say which measurement counts — having no tumour visible on a scan does not by itself rule you out.

Relapsed and refractory

Relapsed: the illness came back after treatment had worked. Refractory: it did not respond to treatment, or stopped responding while still on it.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

Biopsy and archival tissue

A biopsy takes a small piece of tissue to examine. “Archival tissue” is a sample already taken, for example at diagnosis, and kept by the hospital.

Whether a stored sample will do depends on when it was taken, how much there is and what the study needs. Ask whether the study accepts your stored sample or needs a new biopsy.

ECOG performance status

A scale of how much an illness limits everyday activity. For people being assessed to join a study, scores run from 0 (fully active) to 4; lower is more active.

0
Fully active, no restrictions.
1
Limited in strenuous activity, but walking and able to do light work, such as housework or office work.
2
Walking and able to look after yourself, but unable to work; up and about more than half of waking hours.
3
Able to look after yourself only in part; in bed or a chair more than half of waking hours.
4
Unable to look after yourself at all; in bed or a chair all day.

Studies most often ask for 0–1 or 0–2. Your doctor gives the score; the WHO scale uses the same steps. The full scale also has 5, which records death.

Absolute neutrophil count (ANC)

The number of neutrophils, white blood cells that help fight infection, in a given amount of blood. Too few raises the risk of infection.

It is a count, not a percentage of the white cells. Limits are written in units that mean the same: ≥ 1.5 × 10⁹/L is ≥ 1,500 per mm³ (µL). Each lab has its own reference range.

Platelets

Blood cells that help blood clot. Too few raises the risk of bleeding and bruising. A usual adult range is about 150–400 × 10⁹/L (150,000–400,000 per µL); each lab has its own reference range.

Hemoglobin (Hb)

The protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. A low level is anaemia, which can cause tiredness and breathlessness. Measured in g/dL or g/L (9 g/dL is 90 g/L).

Creatinine clearance (CrCl)

How quickly the kidneys clear creatinine, a waste product, from the blood. A study may estimate it from a blood test with age, weight and sex (often by the Cockcroft–Gault formula), or measure it using blood and urine collected over a set time. Given in mL/min; higher is better.

GFR and eGFR (kidney filtering)

GFR (glomerular filtration rate) is how much blood the kidneys filter each minute. It is usually estimated from a blood test — eGFR, by formulas such as CKD-EPI or MDRD — and some studies ask for it to be measured directly instead. Usually given in mL/min/1.73 m².

Check the method, the units and the minimum the study states. A value of 90 or above is in the normal-or-high range, but kidney damage can show in other tests too.

ULN (upper limit of normal)

The top of the normal range for a blood test, as set by the laboratory that runs it. Each lab prints its own range next to your result.

“≤ 2.5 × ULN” means the result can be up to two and a half times that top value.

Bilirubin

A yellow substance made when red blood cells are broken down, which the liver clears. A high level can mean a problem with the liver or the bile ducts.

Criteria often allow more for people with Gilbert’s syndrome, a harmless inherited condition that raises bilirubin.

ALT and AST (liver enzymes)

Two enzymes measured in a routine blood test of the liver. Higher levels can mean the liver is under strain or damaged. SGPT and SGOT are older names for ALT and AST.

Criteria usually give a limit as a multiple of the upper limit of normal (ULN), often higher when cancer has spread to the liver.

Metastases

Cancer that has spread from where it began to other parts of the body. “Metastatic” cancer is cancer that has spread this way.

INR, PT and aPTT (clotting tests)

Blood tests of how long blood takes to clot. The INR is the prothrombin time (PT) put on a common scale; about 1 is usual for someone not taking a blood thinner.

Criteria often make an exception for people on a blood thinner such as warfarin, whose INR is raised on purpose.

Childbearing potential

Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).

Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.

Contraception

Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.

Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.

Investigational drug or device

A drug or device being studied in a clinical trial.

It may be new, or already approved and being studied for another use, dose or form. Criteria often leave out people who took part in another study of one within a recent period, commonly 30 days or five half-lives.

Corticosteroids (steroids)

Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.

Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.

Immunosuppression

A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.

Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.

Hypersensitivity

An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.

Excipients

The other ingredients in a medicine besides the active drug, such as fillers, colours or preservatives.

Cancer (malignancy)

Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.

Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.

Brain metastases

Cancer deposits in the brain from a cancer that started elsewhere in the body (CNS metastases include the spinal cord).

Studies differ: some leave out any brain metastases, some accept ones treated and stable for some weeks. Check what this study allows.

Autoimmune disease

A condition in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease.

Immunotherapy studies often leave out active autoimmune disease, and some name exceptions, such as thyroid disease on replacement hormone. Check the exceptions this study lists.

PD-1, PD-L1 and checkpoint inhibitors

PD-1, PD-L1 and CTLA-4 are proteins that act as brakes on the immune system. Checkpoint inhibitors, such as pembrolizumab or nivolumab, block them so the immune system can attack a cancer.

PD-L1 can also be measured in a tumour sample. Some scores count stained tumour cells only (TPS); others also count certain immune cells (CPS). The study names the score and the minimum it uses.

HIV

The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.

Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.

Hepatitis B tests

Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver. These are separate tests: HBsAg positive usually means a current infection (a recent vaccination can briefly cause it too); total anti-HBc (HBcAb) positive means an infection now or in the past; HBV DNA measures how much virus is in the blood.

Some studies accept a past infection if HBV DNA is undetectable, sometimes with antiviral medicine during the study. Check what this study allows.

Hepatitis C tests

Hepatitis C is a virus that infects the liver. An HCV antibody test can stay positive after an infection has cleared (and is occasionally positive without one); an HCV RNA test shows whether the virus is there now.

After treatment, hepatitis C counts as cured when HCV RNA is still undetectable 12 weeks or more after the treatment ended. Studies often accept people cured this way.

ECG (electrocardiogram)

A recording of the heart’s electrical activity, taken with stickers on the chest, arms and legs. It takes a few minutes and does not hurt.

QT and QTc

On an ECG, the QT interval is the time the heart’s lower chambers take to activate electrically and recover in each beat. QTc is that time adjusted for heart rate (QTcF by Fridericia’s formula, QTcB by Bazett’s). Some medicines lengthen it, and a long QTc can raise the risk of a dangerous heart rhythm.

The study may name a correction formula and a limit in milliseconds, often around 450–480.

CYP3A (CYP3A4) inhibitors and inducers

CYP3A is a group of enzymes, mainly CYP3A4, in the liver and gut that break down many medicines. Some medicines, supplements and foods (grapefruit, St John’s wort) slow them down or speed them up, which changes how much of a study drug stays in the body.

Studies list them so they can be avoided or switched; bring a list of everything you take, including supplements.

Live vaccines

Vaccines made with a weakened form of the germ, such as measles–mumps–rubella (MMR), chickenpox and yellow fever. They can be risky when the immune system is weakened. Flu injections are not live; the nasal flu spray is.

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 1 / Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
38 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Treatment (romidepsin, pembrolizumab)

    Participants receive romidepsin IV over 4 hours on days 1 and 8 or day 8 of cycle 1 and days 1 and 8 of subsequent cycles and pembrolizumab IV over 30 minutes on day 1. Cycles repeat every 21 days for up to 36 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

    Biological: Pembrolizumab · Drug: Romidepsin

Interventions

  • BiologicalPembrolizumab

    Given IV

    Also known as: Keytruda, Lambrolizumab, MK-3475, SCH 900475

  • Given IV

    Also known as: Antibiotic FR 901228, Depsipeptide, FK228, FR901228, Istodax, N-[(3S,4E)-3-Hydroxy-7-mercapto-1-oxo-4-heptenyl]-D-valyl-D-cysteinyl-(2Z)-2-amino-2-butenoyl-L-valine, (4->1) Lactone, Cyclic

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Evaluate the Safety of Pembrolizumab in Combination With Romidepsin.

    Estimate the response rate of the combination therapy in refractory or recurrent PTCL.

    Time frame: 7 years and 4 months

07

Results

Posted Sep 30, 2026

Participant flow

Participant flow — Overall Study
MilestoneCohort 1
Started38
Completed4
Not completed34
Withdrew: Adverse event6
Withdrew: Death8
Withdrew: Toxicity3
Withdrew: Progressive disease16
Withdrew: Withdrawal by subject1

Outcome measures

PrimaryEvaluate the Safety of Pembrolizumab in Combination With Romidepsin.

Estimate the response rate of the combination therapy in refractory or recurrent PTCL.

Time frame:
7 years and 4 months
Reported as:
Number · percentage of participants
Evaluate the Safety of Pembrolizumab in Combination With Romidepsin.
percentage of participantsCohort 1
Overall Response Rate in Intent to Treat population47.3
Overall Response Rate in TFH-phenotype lymphomas61.5
Complete Response53.8

Adverse events

Collected over 7 years and 4 months. Non-serious events are listed at a 0% frequency threshold.

Adverse event summary by group
GroupDeathsSeriousOther
Cohort 18/38 (21.1%)7/38 (18.4%)38/38 (100%)
Most frequent serious events
Showing 10 of 17
Most frequent serious events
EventCohort 1
DiarrheaGastrointestinal disorders2/38
Infusion site extravasationGeneral disorders2/38
FeverGeneral disorders2/38
UTIInfections and infestations1/38
HypercalcemiaMetabolism and nutrition disorders1/38
SepsisInfections and infestations1/38
Vascular access complicationVascular disorders1/38
HeadacheNervous system disorders1/38
Skin infectionSkin and subcutaneous tissue disorders1/38
Investigations - Other, specifyInvestigations1/38
Most frequent other events
Showing 10 of 131
Most frequent other events
EventCohort 1
NauseaGastrointestinal disorders24/38
FatigueGeneral disorders23/38
Platelet count decreasedBlood and lymphatic system disorders23/38
Platelet count decreasedBlood and lymphatic system disorders23/38
AnemiaBlood and lymphatic system disorders18/38
DiarrheaGastrointestinal disorders15/38
FeverGeneral disorders15/38
VomitingGastrointestinal disorders15/38
HeadacheNervous system disorders14/38
ConstipationGastrointestinal disorders13/38

Baseline characteristics

This is a phase Ib/II study- and so there is no dose escalation- it was more safety run-in for Ib followed by phase II. There is only one arm since this is a single arm trial.

Age, Categorical
Age, Categorical(Participants)Cohort 1
<=18 years0
Between 18 and 65 years15
>=65 years23
Sex: Female, Male
Sex: Female, Male(Participants)Cohort 1
Female16
Male22
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)(Participants)Cohort 1
Hispanic or Latino5
Not Hispanic or Latino33
Unknown or Not Reported0
Race (NIH/OMB)
Race (NIH/OMB)(Participants)Cohort 1
American Indian or Alaska Native0
Asian5
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander0
Black or African American7
White21
More than one race0
Unknown or Not Reported5
Region of Enrollment
Region of Enrollment(participants)Cohort 1
United States38
08

Study locations

1 site
  • M D Anderson Cancer Center
    Houston, Texas 77030, United States
09

References and documents

Study documents

PDFs hosted by the registry, ClinicalTrials.gov.

10

Timeline

2 registry updates since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reachedDate before it movedWhere the date was before it movedSimilar studies: half by the dot; the band is the middle halfHalf of similar studies reached it by the dot; the band is the middle half, from a quarter to three quarters

Ran from Nov 2017 to primary completion in Mar 2025, 88 months.

Results were first posted in Sep 2026, 1 year 5 months after primary completion.

Of 15 phase 1/2 interventional studies under Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic, half reached primary completion within 71 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 49 and three quarters within 92. This study's 88 months is above that.

Primary completion moved once since we started tracking on Sep 25, 2026: Jul 2027 → Mar 2025, on Sep 30, 2026.

Completion moved once since we started tracking on Sep 25, 2026: Jul 2027 → Oct 2026, on Oct 28, 2026.

Earlier changes are on the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Sep 8, 2017
First posted
Sep 12, 2017
StartActual
Nov 14, 2017
Primary completionActual
Mar 31, 2025was Jul 2027
CompletionActual
Oct 9, 2026was Jul 2027
Results first posted
Sep 30, 2026
Last update
Oct 28, 2026
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
Status
Active, not recruiting→Completed
changed Oct 28, 2026
Results
Results posted
posted Sep 30, 2026
Primary completion
Jul 31, 2027→Mar 31, 2025 (actual)
Sep 30, 2026
Study completion
Jul 31, 2027→Oct 9, 2026 (actual)
Oct 28, 2026
Enrollment
39→38
Oct 28, 2026
Primary outcomes
1 added, 2 removed
What changed in the outcomes
  • AddedEvaluate the Safety of Pembrolizumab in Combination With Romidepsin.Time frame: 7 years and 4 months
  • RemovedDose limiting toxicity (Phase I)Time frame: Up to 21 days
  • RemovedOverall response (OR) (Phase II)Time frame: Up to 3 years
Sep 30, 2026
Documents
across 2 updates, Sep 30, 2026 – Oct 28, 2026
Secondary outcomes
4 removed
What changed in the outcomes
  • RemovedProgression-free survival (PFS)Time frame: From the date of study registration and the date of progression, recurrence, or death without progression, whichever comes first, assessed up to 3 years
  • RemovedOverall survivalTime frame: From the date of study registration to the date of death from any cause, assessed up to 3 years
  • RemovedComplete responseTime frame: Up to 3 years
  • RemovedDuration of responseTime frame: Up to 3 years
Sep 30, 2026
Show all 2 updates
  1. Oct 28, 2026
    Active, not recruiting→Completed
    Documents Informed consent form ↗ posted
    Study completion Jul 31, 2027→Oct 9, 2026 (now actual)
    Enrollment 39→38
    + 1 other change: verification date
  2. Sep 30, 2026
    Results posted
    Primary completion Jul 31, 2027→Mar 31, 2025 (now actual)
    Primary outcomes 1 added, 2 removed
    What changed in the outcomes
    • AddedEvaluate the Safety of Pembrolizumab in Combination With Romidepsin.Time frame: 7 years and 4 months
    • RemovedDose limiting toxicity (Phase I)Time frame: Up to 21 days
    • RemovedOverall response (OR) (Phase II)Time frame: Up to 3 years
    Secondary outcomes 4 removed
    What changed in the outcomes
    • RemovedProgression-free survival (PFS)Time frame: From the date of study registration and the date of progression, recurrence, or death without progression, whichever comes first, assessed up to 3 years
    • RemovedOverall survivalTime frame: From the date of study registration to the date of death from any cause, assessed up to 3 years
    • RemovedComplete responseTime frame: Up to 3 years
    • RemovedDuration of responseTime frame: Up to 3 years
    + 2 other changes: verification date and index terms

From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

11

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03278782
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Sep 12, 2017
Start date
Nov 14, 2017
Primary completion
Mar 31, 2025
Completion
Oct 9, 2026
Results posted
Sep 30, 2026
Last update
Oct 28, 2026

Study contacts

Swaminathan P Iyer, MD
principal investigator · M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Oversight

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

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Studies of the drugs tested here: Pembrolizumab · Romidepsin

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