A Phase 2 interventional study of Pembrolizumab in High Grade Meningioma, sponsored by Massachusetts General Hospital. Active, not recruiting at 2 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-06-18.
Sponsored by Massachusetts General Hospital · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment
This research study is studying a drug as a possible treatment for High Grade Meningioma.
The drug involved in this study is an immunotherapy drug called pembrolizumab
This research study is a Phase II clinical trial. Phase II clinical trials test the safety and effectiveness of an investigational drug to learn whether the drug works in treating a specific disease. "Investigational" means that the drug is being studied.
The FDA (the U.S. Food and Drug Administration) has not approved pembrolizumab for this specific disease but it has been approved for other uses.
In this research study, the investigators are studying pembrolizumab in participants with meningioma. Research studies have shown that meningioma tumor cells express a gene called PD-L1. The investigators will be looking to determine whether the study drug may may stop meningioma tumors from growing.
-Documentation Of Disease
--Histologic Documentation: Histologically proven recurrent or residual intracranial or metastatic meningioma or meningioma with extracranial spread
Progressive OR residual disease, as defined by the following:
Post radiation patients: Patients with measurable and progressive meningioma who have received radiation are potentially eligible, but need to show evidence of progressive disease in the radiated field after completion of radiation. At least 24 weeks must have elapsed from completion of radiation to registration. Patients that have progressive disease outside of the radiation field do not need to wait 24 weeks from completion of radiation.
Prior Treatment
No craniotomy within 28 days of registration.
Hemoglobin ≥9 g/dL or ≥5.6 mmol/L without transfusion or EPO dependency (within 7 days of assessment)
-Renal
Measured or calculated creatinine clearance (GFR can also be used in place of creatinine or CrCl) ≤1.5 X upper limit of normal (ULN) OR
≥60 mL/min for subject with creatinine levels > 1.5 X institutional ULN
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
Creatinine clearance should be calculated per institutional standard.
Exclusion Criteria:
* Pembrolizumab will be administered every 3 weeks * Pembrolizumab will be administered through IV infusion
Drug: Pembrolizumab
pembrolizumab binds to PD-1, an inhibitory signaling receptor expressed on the surface of activated T cells, and blocks the binding to and activation of PD-1 by its ligands, which results in the activation of T-cell-mediated immune responses against tumor cells
Also known as: Keytruda
Progression-free Survival at 6 Months (PFS6)
Progression-free survival at 6 months is defined as not having disease progression per RANO (response assessment in neuro-oncology) criteria or death from any cause within six months of the first day of treatment with pembrolizumab. Contrast-enhanced cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed every 6 weeks to assess patient response to treatment. Progressive disease is defined per RANO criteria as the appearance of a new lesion, an increase in the size of a patient's existing lesions, or clear clinical worsening (seizures, medication side effects, complications of therapy, cerebrovascular events, infection, etc.)
Time frame: up to 6 months
Overall Survival (OS)
OS is defined as the time from protocol registration until death due to any cause. The follow-up of patients who were alive at the time of analysis was censored at the date of last assessment of vital status. 90% confidence intervals for median OS were estimated using log(-log(survival)) methodology.
Time frame: Up to 35 months
Overall Survival (OS) at 3 Months
OS benchmarked at 3 months measures the percentage of participants who are still alive at 3 months, after study registration and receiving study therapy.
Time frame: 3 months
Overall Survival (OS) at 6 Months
OS benchmarked at 6 months measures the percentage of participants who are still alive at 6 months, after study registration and receiving study therapy.
Time frame: 6 months
Percentage of Participants With Treatment-related Adverse Events
All adverse events (AEs) recorded during the trial were summarized for all patients who received one or more doses of pembrolizumab. This outcome measure includes adverse events assessed as at least possibly related to study therapy and grade 3 or higher according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 4.
Time frame: Up to 26 months
Number of Participants With Intracranial Response
Intracranial response is defined as complete response (CR), partial response (PR), or stable disease (SD) by RANO (response assessment for neuro-oncology) criteria. Intracranial response was assessed by contrast-enhanced cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) every 6 weeks. CR: complete disappearance of all enhancing measurable and non-measurable disease sustained for 4+ weeks, no new lesions, stable/decreasing corticosteroids, and patient is stable and improved clinically. Participants with non-measurable disease cannot have a CR; the best possible response is SD. PR: greater than or equal to 50% decrease compared to baseline in the sum of products of perpendicular diameters of all measurable enhancing lesions sustained for 4+ weeks, no progression of non-measurable disease, no new lesions, stable/decreasing corticosteroids, and patient is stable or improved clinically. SD: does not qualify for CR, PR, or disease progression and patient is stable clinically.
Time frame: Up to 25 months
| Milestone | Pembrolizumab |
|---|---|
| Started | 26 |
| Completed | 25 |
| Not completed | 1 |
| Withdrew: Withdrawal by subject | 1 |
Progression-free survival at 6 months is defined as not having disease progression per RANO (response assessment in neuro-oncology) criteria or death from any cause within six months of the first day of treatment with pembrolizumab. Contrast-enhanced cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed every 6 weeks to assess patient response to treatment. Progressive disease is defined per RANO criteria as the appearance of a new lesion, an increase in the size of a patient's existing lesions, or clear clinical worsening (seizures, medication side effects, complications of therapy, cerebrovascular events, infection, etc.)
| percent of participants | Pembrolizumab |
|---|---|
| Progression-free Survival at 6 Months (PFS6) | 48 (31 to 66) |
OS is defined as the time from protocol registration until death due to any cause. The follow-up of patients who were alive at the time of analysis was censored at the date of last assessment of vital status. 90% confidence intervals for median OS were estimated using log(-log(survival)) methodology.
| months | Pembrolizumab |
|---|---|
| Overall Survival (OS) | 20.2 (14.8 to 25.8) |
OS benchmarked at 3 months measures the percentage of participants who are still alive at 3 months, after study registration and receiving study therapy.
| percentage of participants | Pembrolizumab |
|---|---|
| Overall Survival (OS) at 3 Months | 92 (77 to 97) |
OS benchmarked at 6 months measures the percentage of participants who are still alive at 6 months, after study registration and receiving study therapy.
| percent of patients | Pembrolizumab |
|---|---|
| Overall Survival (OS) at 6 Months | 84 (67 to 93) |
All adverse events (AEs) recorded during the trial were summarized for all patients who received one or more doses of pembrolizumab. This outcome measure includes adverse events assessed as at least possibly related to study therapy and grade 3 or higher according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 4.
| Participants | Pembrolizumab |
|---|---|
| Percentage of Participants With Treatment-related Adverse Events | 20 |
Intracranial response is defined as complete response (CR), partial response (PR), or stable disease (SD) by RANO (response assessment for neuro-oncology) criteria. Intracranial response was assessed by contrast-enhanced cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) every 6 weeks. CR: complete disappearance of all enhancing measurable and non-measurable disease sustained for 4+ weeks, no new lesions, stable/decreasing corticosteroids, and patient is stable and improved clinically. Participants with non-measurable disease cannot have a CR; the best possible response is SD. PR: greater than or equal to 50% decrease compared to baseline in the sum of products of perpendicular diameters of all measurable enhancing lesions sustained for 4+ weeks, no progression of non-measurable disease, no new lesions, stable/decreasing corticosteroids, and patient is stable or improved clinically. SD: does not qualify for CR, PR, or disease progression and patient is stable clinically.
| Participants | Pembrolizumab |
|---|---|
| Complete Response | 0 |
| Partial Response | 0 |
| Stable Disease | 18 |
Collected over up to 3 years. Non-serious events are listed at a 0% frequency threshold.
| Group | Deaths | Serious | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pembrolizumab | 15/25 (60%) | 10/25 (40%) | 25/25 (100%) |
| Event | Pembrolizumab |
|---|---|
| ConfusionPsychiatric disorders | 2/25 |
| Generalized Muscle weaknessMusculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders | 2/25 |
| HeadacheNervous system disorders | 2/25 |
| Skin/subcutaneous tissue disorders - Other, specifySkin and subcutaneous tissue disorders | 1/25 |
| SeizureNervous system disorders | 1/25 |
| ColitisGastrointestinal disorders | 1/25 |
| Urinary IncontinenceRenal and urinary disorders | 1/25 |
| Thromboembolic eventVascular disorders | 1/25 |
| Skin infectionInfections and infestations | 1/25 |
| EncephalopathyNervous system disorders | 1/25 |
| Event | Pembrolizumab |
|---|---|
| FatigueGeneral disorders | 12/25 |
| FallInjury, poisoning and procedural complications | 10/25 |
| ConstipationGastrointestinal disorders | 8/25 |
| AnemiaBlood and lymphatic system disorders | 7/25 |
| Cholesterol HighInvestigations | 7/25 |
| Gait disturbanceGeneral disorders | 7/25 |
| HyperglycemiaMetabolism and nutrition disorders | 7/25 |
| HypophosphatemiaMetabolism and nutrition disorders | 7/25 |
| InsomniaPsychiatric disorders | 7/25 |
| Investigations - Other, specifyInfections and infestations | 7/25 |
| Age, Continuous(years) | Pembrolizumab |
|---|---|
| Mean | 60.9 ± 16.5 |
| Sex: Female, Male(Participants) | Pembrolizumab |
|---|---|
| Female | 11 |
| Male | 14 |
| Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)(Participants) | Pembrolizumab |
|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino | 1 |
| Not Hispanic or Latino | 21 |
| Unknown or Not Reported | 3 |
| Race (NIH/OMB)(Participants) | Pembrolizumab |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 0 |
| Asian | 0 |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 0 |
| Black or African American | 3 |
| White | 19 |
| More than one race | 1 |
| Unknown or Not Reported | 2 |
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Plan to share: No
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Massachusetts General Hospital