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Active, not recruitingNCT03279692Updated Jun 18, 2026Results posted

Phase II Trial of Pembrolizumab in Recurrent or Residual High Grade Meningioma

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

Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
26
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

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

Read the detailed description

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.

02

Conditions studied

  • High Grade Meningioma

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Keywords

  • Meningioma
03

Who can participate

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

Inclusion criteria

-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:

  • Progressive disease, as defined as an increase in size of the measurable primary lesion on imaging by 25% or more (bidirectional area). The change must occur between scans separated by no more than 24 months.
  • Residual measurable disease: For Grade II or III meningioma, residual measurable disease immediately after surgery without requirement for progression. Residual measurable disease will be defined by bidimensionally measurable lesions with clearly defined margins by MRI scans, with a minimum diameter of 10mm in both dimensions.
  • 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.

    • Measurable Disease: Measurable disease is defined by a bidimensionally measurable main lesion on MRI or CT images (MRI preferred) with clearly defined margins and ≥ 10 mm. Multifocal disease is allowed as long as one lesion meets criteria for measurable disease and progressive disease.

Prior Treatment

  • Prior medical therapy is allowed but not required.
  • Meningioma that have resulted from prior radiation therapy are allowed.
  • No limit on number of prior therapies.
  • No chemotherapy, other investigational agents within 14 days of study treatment.
  • No other concurrent investigational agents or other meningioma-directed therapy (chemotherapy, radiation) while on study.
  • For patients treated with external beam radiation, interstitial brachytherapy or radiosurgery, an interval > 24 weeks must have elapsed from completion of XRT to registration.
  • Stable dose of dexamethasone 2mg or less for 7 days prior to initiation of treatment
  • Recovered to CTCAE grade 1 or less toxicity from other agents with exception of alopecia and fatigue.
  • No craniotomy within 28 days of registration.

    • Not pregnant and not nursing:
    • A female of childbearing potential is a sexually mature female who: 1) has not undergone a hysterectomy or bilateral oophorectomy; or 2) has not been naturally postmenopausal for at least 12 consecutive months (i.e., has had menses at any time in the preceding 12 consecutive months). Female subject of childbearing potential 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. Female subjects of childbearing potential should be willing to use 2 methods of birth control or be surgically sterile, or abstain from heterosexual activity for the course of the study through 120 days after the last dose of study medication.
    • Age ≥ 18 years
    • ECOG Performance Status \< 2
    • Patient history: Patients with history of NF may have other stable CNS tumors (schwannoma, acoustic neuroma or ependymoma) if lesions have been stable for 6 months.
    • Metastatic meningiomas (as defined by extracranial meningiomas) and meningioma with extra-cranial spread are allowed.
    • Required Initial Laboratory Values
    • Participants must have normal organ and marrow function as defined in Table 1, all screening labs should be performed within 14 days of treatment initiation.
    • Required Initial Laboratory Values
  • System Laboratory Value
  • Hematological
  • Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥1,500 /mcL
  • Platelets ≥100,000 / mcL
  • Hemoglobin ≥9 g/dL or ≥5.6 mmol/L without transfusion or EPO dependency (within 7 days of assessment)

    -Renal

  • Serum creatinine OR
  • 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

  • Hepatic
  • Serum total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 X ULN OR Direct bilirubin ≤ ULN for subjects with total bilirubin levels > 1.5 ULN AST (SGOT) and ALT (SGPT) ≤ 2.5 X ULN
  • Albumin >2.5 mg/dL
  • Coagulation
  • International Normalized Ratio (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

  • Creatinine clearance should be calculated per institutional standard.

    • Male subjects should agree to use an adequate method of contraception starting with the first dose of study therapy through 120 days after the last dose of study therapy.
    • Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.
    • Stable dose of dexamethasone 2mg or less for 7 days prior to initiation of treatment

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Participants who have had chemotherapy, targeted small molecule therapy or study therapy within 14 days of protocol treatment, or those who have not recovered (i.e., ≤ Grade 1 or at baseline) from adverse events due to agents administered more than 2 weeks earlier. Subjects with ≤ Grade 2 neuropathy are an exception to this criterion and may qualify for the study. If subject received major surgery, they must have recovered adequately from the toxicity and/or complications from the intervention prior to starting therapy.
  • Participants with brainstem lesions
  • Participants who are receiving any other investigational agents.
  • Participants who have a diagnosis of an immunodeficiency.
  • Requires treatment with high dose systemic corticosteroids defined as dexamethasone >2mg/day or bioequivalent within 7 days of initiating therapy.
  • Has received systemic immunosuppressive treatments, aside from systemic corticosteroids as described in Section 5.7, within three months of start of study drug
  • Hypersensitivity to pembrolizumab or any of its excipients
  • Has a known history of active TB (Bacillus Tuberculosis)
  • Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements.
  • Has known psychiatric or substance abuse disorders that would interfere with cooperation with the requirements of the trial.
  • 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.
  • Has a known additional malignancy that is progressing or requires active treatment. Exceptions include basal cell carcinoma of the skin or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin that has undergone potentially curative therapy or in situ cervical cancer or stable NF-related neoplasms (Section 3.1.7).
  • Has active autoimmune 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 (eg., thyroxine, insulin, or physiologic corticosteroid replacement therapy for adrenal or pituitary insufficiency, etc.) is not considered a form of systemic treatment.
  • Has known history of, or any evidence of active, non-infectious pneumonitis.
  • Has an active infection requiring systemic therapy.
  • Has received prior therapy with an anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1, or anti-PD-L2 agent.
  • Has a known history of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (HIV 1/2 antibodies). HIV-positive participants on combination antiretroviral therapy are ineligible because of the potential for pharmacokinetic interactions with pembrolizumab. In addition, these participants are at increased risk of lethal infections when treated with marrow-suppressive therapy. Appropriate studies will be undertaken in participants receiving combination antiretroviral therapy when indicated.
  • Has known active Hepatitis B (e.g., HBsAg reactive) or Hepatitis C (e.g., HCV RNA [qualitative] is detected).
  • Has received a live vaccine 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.
  • Unable to undergo brain MRI.
04

Study design

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

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Pembrolizumab

    * Pembrolizumab will be administered every 3 weeks * Pembrolizumab will be administered through IV infusion

    Drug: Pembrolizumab

Interventions

  • DrugPembrolizumab

    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

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. 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

Secondary outcomes

  1. 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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

06

Results

Posted Jun 6, 2023

Participant flow

Participant flow — Overall Study
MilestonePembrolizumab
Started26
Completed25
Not completed1
Withdrew: Withdrawal by subject1

Outcome measures

PrimaryProgression-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
Reported as:
Number · percent of participants
Progression-free Survival at 6 Months (PFS6)
percent of participantsPembrolizumab
Progression-free Survival at 6 Months (PFS6)48 (31 to 66)
SecondaryOverall 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
Reported as:
Median · months
Overall Survival (OS)
monthsPembrolizumab
Overall Survival (OS)20.2 (14.8 to 25.8)
SecondaryOverall 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
Reported as:
Number · percentage of participants
Overall Survival (OS) at 3 Months
percentage of participantsPembrolizumab
Overall Survival (OS) at 3 Months92 (77 to 97)
SecondaryOverall 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
Reported as:
Number · percent of patients
Overall Survival (OS) at 6 Months
percent of patientsPembrolizumab
Overall Survival (OS) at 6 Months84 (67 to 93)
SecondaryPercentage 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
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Percentage of Participants With Treatment-related Adverse Events
ParticipantsPembrolizumab
Percentage of Participants With Treatment-related Adverse Events20
SecondaryNumber 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
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Number of Participants With Intracranial Response
ParticipantsPembrolizumab
Complete Response0
Partial Response0
Stable Disease18

Adverse events

Collected over up to 3 years. Non-serious events are listed at a 0% frequency threshold.

Adverse event summary by group
GroupDeathsSeriousOther
Pembrolizumab15/25 (60%)10/25 (40%)25/25 (100%)
Most frequent serious events
Showing 10 of 21
Most frequent serious events
EventPembrolizumab
ConfusionPsychiatric disorders2/25
Generalized Muscle weaknessMusculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders2/25
HeadacheNervous system disorders2/25
Skin/subcutaneous tissue disorders - Other, specifySkin and subcutaneous tissue disorders1/25
SeizureNervous system disorders1/25
ColitisGastrointestinal disorders1/25
Urinary IncontinenceRenal and urinary disorders1/25
Thromboembolic eventVascular disorders1/25
Skin infectionInfections and infestations1/25
EncephalopathyNervous system disorders1/25
Most frequent other events
Showing 10 of 171
Most frequent other events
EventPembrolizumab
FatigueGeneral disorders12/25
FallInjury, poisoning and procedural complications10/25
ConstipationGastrointestinal disorders8/25
AnemiaBlood and lymphatic system disorders7/25
Cholesterol HighInvestigations7/25
Gait disturbanceGeneral disorders7/25
HyperglycemiaMetabolism and nutrition disorders7/25
HypophosphatemiaMetabolism and nutrition disorders7/25
InsomniaPsychiatric disorders7/25
Investigations - Other, specifyInfections and infestations7/25

Baseline characteristics

Age, Continuous
Age, Continuous(years)Pembrolizumab
Mean60.9 ± 16.5
Sex: Female, Male
Sex: Female, Male(Participants)Pembrolizumab
Female11
Male14
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)(Participants)Pembrolizumab
Hispanic or Latino1
Not Hispanic or Latino21
Unknown or Not Reported3
Race (NIH/OMB)
Race (NIH/OMB)(Participants)Pembrolizumab
American Indian or Alaska Native0
Asian0
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander0
Black or African American3
White19
More than one race1
Unknown or Not Reported2
07

Study locations

2 sites
  • Dana Farber Cancer Institute
    Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
  • Massachusetts General Hospital
    Boston, Massachusetts 02214, United States
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Brastianos PK, Kim AE, Giobbie-Hurder A, Lee EQ, Wang N, Eichler AF, Chukwueke U, Forst DA, Arrillaga-Romany IC, Dietrich J, Corbin Z, Moliterno J, Baehring J, White M, Lou KW, Larson J, de Sauvage MA, Evancic K, Mora J, Nayyar N, Loeffler J, Oh K, Shih HA, Curry WT, Cahill DP, Barker FG, Gerstner ER, Santagata S. Phase 2 study of pembrolizumab in patients with recurrent and residual high-grade meningiomas. Nat Commun. 2022 Mar 14;13(1):1325. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-29052-7. PubMed 35289329 ↗

Study documents

  • Protocol and statistical analysis plan · Jan 20, 2023
  • Informed consent form · Jan 24, 2023

Documents are hosted by the registry — open the source record to download them.

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03279692
Lead sponsor
Massachusetts General Hospital
Collaborators
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
Responsible party
Priscilla Brastianos (Principal Investigator, Massachusetts General Hospital) — Principal investigator
First posted
Sep 12, 2017
Start date
Nov 7, 2017
Primary completion
Sep 18, 2021
Completion
Dec 31, 2026 (estimated)
Results posted
Jun 6, 2023
Last update
Jun 18, 2026

Study contacts

Priscilla Brastianos, MD
principal investigator · Massachusetts General Hospital

Oversight

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

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