A Phase 2 interventional study of Pembrolizumab in Squamous Cell Carcinoma, sponsored by Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC. Completed at 59 sites in 10 countries. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2024-08-23.
Sponsored by Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of pembrolizumab (MK-3475) in adult participants with recurrent or metastatic(R/M) cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma (cSCC) or locally advanced (LA) unresectable cSCC that is not amenable to surgery and/or radiation and/or systemic therapies.
Exclusion Criteria:
(Notes: Participants must have recovered from all AEs due to previously administered therapies to ≤ Grade 1 or baseline. If a participant received major surgery, they must have recovered adequately from the toxicity and/or complications from the intervention prior to starting study treatment.)
Participants with R/M cSCC receive pembrolizumab 200 mg via intravenous (IV) infusion on Day 1 of each 3-week cycle for up to approximately 2 years.
Biological: Pembrolizumab
Participants with LA cSCC receive pembrolizumab 200 mg via IV infusion on Day 1 of each 3-week cycle for up to approximately 2 years.
Biological: Pembrolizumab
IV infusion
Also known as: KEYTRUDA®, MK-3475
Objective Response Rate (ORR)
ORR was defined as the percentage of participants who have best response of Complete Response (CR: Disappearance of all target lesions) or Partial Response (PR: At least a 30% decrease in the sum of diameters of target lesions, taking as reference the baseline sum diameters) per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1 (RECIST 1.1). ORR per RECIST 1.1 as assessed by blinded independent central review (BICR) is presented.
Time frame: Up to approximately 32 months
Duration of Response (DOR)
For participants who demonstrated a confirmed CR or PR per RECIST 1.1, DOR was defined as the time from first documented evidence of a CR or PR until progressive disease (PD) or death. Per RECIST 1.1, PD was defined as at least a 20% increase in the sum of diameters of target lesions as well as an absolute increase of at least a 5 mm in the sum of diameters. The appearance of one or more new lesions was also considered PD. The DOR per RECIST 1.1 as assessed by BICR is presented for all participants who experienced a confirmed CR or PR.
Time frame: Up to approximately 56 months
Disease Control Rate (DCR)
DCR is defined as the percentage of participants who have a CR or PR or Stable Disease (SD: Neither sufficient shrinkage to qualify for PR nor sufficient increase to qualify for progressive disease). The DCR per RECIST 1.1 as assessed by BICR is presented.
Time frame: Up to approximately 56 months
Progression-free Survival (PFS)
PFS was defined as the time from first dose of study treatment to the first documented PD or death due to any cause, whichever occurred first. PFS per RECIST 1.1 as assessed by BICR is presented.
Time frame: Up to approximately 56 months
Overall Survival (OS)
OS was defined as the time from first dose of study treatment to death due to any cause. The OS for all participants is presented.
Time frame: Up to approximately 56 months
Number of Participants Who Experienced One or More Adverse Events (AEs)
An AE is defined as any unfavorable and unintended sign, symptom, or disease (new or worsening) temporally associated with the use of study therapy, regardless of whether or not a causal relationship with the study therapy. The number of participants who experienced an AE is presented.
Time frame: Up to approximately 56 months
Number of Participants Who Discontinued Study Treatment Due to AE
An AE is defined as any unfavorable and unintended sign, symptom, or disease (new or worsening) temporally associated with the use of study therapy, regardless of whether or not a causal relationship with the study therapy. The number of participants who discontinued study treatment due to an AE is presented.
Time frame: Up to approximately 56 months
| Milestone | Recurrent or Metastatic Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma (cSCC) Cohort | Locally Advanced Unresectable cSCC Cohort |
|---|---|---|
| Started | 105 | 54 |
| Participants that received a second course of pembrolizumab | 2 | 1 |
| Completed | 0 | 0 |
| Not completed | 105 | 54 |
| Withdrew: Death | 70 | 24 |
| Withdrew: Lost to follow-up | 3 | 1 |
| Withdrew: Physician decision | 1 | 2 |
| Withdrew: Withdrawal by subject | 4 | 5 |
| Withdrew: Sponsor's decision | 27 | 22 |
ORR was defined as the percentage of participants who have best response of Complete Response (CR: Disappearance of all target lesions) or Partial Response (PR: At least a 30% decrease in the sum of diameters of target lesions, taking as reference the baseline sum diameters) per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1 (RECIST 1.1). ORR per RECIST 1.1 as assessed by blinded independent central review (BICR) is presented.
| Percentage of participants | Recurrent or Metastatic Cutaneous cSCC Cohort | Locally Advanced Unresectable cSCC Cohort |
|---|---|---|
| Objective Response Rate (ORR) | 35.2 (26.2 to 45.2) | 51.9 (37.8 to 65.7) |
For participants who demonstrated a confirmed CR or PR per RECIST 1.1, DOR was defined as the time from first documented evidence of a CR or PR until progressive disease (PD) or death. Per RECIST 1.1, PD was defined as at least a 20% increase in the sum of diameters of target lesions as well as an absolute increase of at least a 5 mm in the sum of diameters. The appearance of one or more new lesions was also considered PD. The DOR per RECIST 1.1 as assessed by BICR is presented for all participants who experienced a confirmed CR or PR.
| Months | Recurrent or Metastatic Cutaneous cSCC Cohort | Locally Advanced Unresectable cSCC Cohort |
|---|---|---|
| Duration of Response (DOR) | 1.6 (1.2 to 24.7) | 2.7 (1.1 to 12.3) |
DCR is defined as the percentage of participants who have a CR or PR or Stable Disease (SD: Neither sufficient shrinkage to qualify for PR nor sufficient increase to qualify for progressive disease). The DCR per RECIST 1.1 as assessed by BICR is presented.
| Percentage of participants | Recurrent or Metastatic Cutaneous cSCC Cohort | Locally Advanced Unresectable cSCC Cohort |
|---|---|---|
| Disease Control Rate (DCR) | 52.4 (42.4 to 62.2) | 64.8 (50.6 to 77.3) |
PFS was defined as the time from first dose of study treatment to the first documented PD or death due to any cause, whichever occurred first. PFS per RECIST 1.1 as assessed by BICR is presented.
| Months | Recurrent or Metastatic Cutaneous cSCC Cohort | Locally Advanced Unresectable cSCC Cohort |
|---|---|---|
| Progression-free Survival (PFS) | 5.7 (3.1 to 8.5) | 14.4 (5.5 to 43.6) |
OS was defined as the time from first dose of study treatment to death due to any cause. The OS for all participants is presented.
| Months | Recurrent or Metastatic Cutaneous cSCC Cohort | Locally Advanced Unresectable cSCC Cohort |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Survival (OS) | 23.8 (13.4 to 30.9) | NA (33.3 to NA) |
An AE is defined as any unfavorable and unintended sign, symptom, or disease (new or worsening) temporally associated with the use of study therapy, regardless of whether or not a causal relationship with the study therapy. The number of participants who experienced an AE is presented.
| Participants | Recurrent or Metastatic Cutaneous cSCC Cohort | Locally Advanced Unresectable cSCC Cohort |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Participants Who Experienced One or More Adverse Events (AEs) | 102 | 51 |
An AE is defined as any unfavorable and unintended sign, symptom, or disease (new or worsening) temporally associated with the use of study therapy, regardless of whether or not a causal relationship with the study therapy. The number of participants who discontinued study treatment due to an AE is presented.
| Participants | Recurrent or Metastatic Cutaneous cSCC Cohort | Locally Advanced Unresectable cSCC Cohort |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Participants Who Discontinued Study Treatment Due to AE | 20 | 11 |
Collected over Up to approximately 56 months. Non-serious events are listed at a 5% frequency threshold.
| Group | Deaths | Serious | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recurrent or Metastatic Cutaneous and Locally Advanced Unresectable cSCC First Course | 97/159 (61%) | 87/159 (54.7%) | 139/159 (87.4%) |
| Recurrent or Metastatic Cutaneous and Locally Advanced Unresectable cSCC Second Course | 1/3 (33.3%) | 2/3 (66.7%) | 2/3 (66.7%) |
| Event | Recurrent or Metastatic Cutaneous and Locally Advanced Unresectable cSCC First Course | Recurrent or Metastatic Cutaneous and Locally Advanced Unresectable cSCC Second Course |
|---|---|---|
| Cholecystitis acuteHepatobiliary disorders | 0/159 | 1/3 |
| Scrotal cellulitisInfections and infestations | 0/159 | 1/3 |
| SepsisInfections and infestations | 4/159 | 1/3 |
| Weight decreasedInvestigations | 0/159 | 1/3 |
| Tumour haemorrhageNeoplasms benign, malignant and unspecified (incl cysts and polyps) | 2/159 | 1/3 |
| Basal cell carcinomaNeoplasms benign, malignant and unspecified (incl cysts and polyps) | 9/159 | 0/3 |
| PneumoniaInfections and infestations | 5/159 | 0/3 |
| AnaemiaBlood and lymphatic system disorders | 3/159 | 0/3 |
| Infected neoplasmNeoplasms benign, malignant and unspecified (incl cysts and polyps) | 3/159 | 0/3 |
| Acute myocardial infarctionCardiac disorders | 2/159 | 0/3 |
| Event | Recurrent or Metastatic Cutaneous and Locally Advanced Unresectable cSCC First Course | Recurrent or Metastatic Cutaneous and Locally Advanced Unresectable cSCC Second Course |
|---|---|---|
| DiarrhoeaGastrointestinal disorders | 31/159 | 1/3 |
| AstheniaGeneral disorders | 35/159 | 1/3 |
| Blood bilirubin increasedInvestigations | 3/159 | 1/3 |
| Blood phosphorus decreasedInvestigations | 2/159 | 1/3 |
| Blood urea increasedInvestigations | 2/159 | 1/3 |
| Protein total decreasedInvestigations | 1/159 | 1/3 |
| HyperchloraemiaMetabolism and nutrition disorders | 1/159 | 1/3 |
| HypocalcaemiaMetabolism and nutrition disorders | 4/159 | 1/3 |
| HyponatraemiaMetabolism and nutrition disorders | 4/159 | 1/3 |
| Muscle spasmsMusculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders | 2/159 | 1/3 |
The analysis population consisted of all participants who received ≥1 dose of study treatment.
| Age, Continuous(Years) | Recurrent or Metastatic Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma (cSCC) Cohort | Locally Advanced Unresectable cSCC Cohort | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean | 70.0 ± 14.3 | 73.7 ± 12.4 | 71.3 ± 13.8 |
| Sex: Female, Male(Participants) | Recurrent or Metastatic Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma (cSCC) Cohort | Locally Advanced Unresectable cSCC Cohort | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 25 | 15 | 40 |
| Male | 80 | 39 | 119 |
| Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)(Participants) | Recurrent or Metastatic Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma (cSCC) Cohort | Locally Advanced Unresectable cSCC Cohort | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino | 13 | 2 | 15 |
| Not Hispanic or Latino | 57 | 40 | 97 |
| Unknown or Not Reported | 35 | 12 | 47 |
| Race (NIH/OMB)(Participants) | Recurrent or Metastatic Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma (cSCC) Cohort | Locally Advanced Unresectable cSCC Cohort | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Asian | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Black or African American | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| White | 68 | 40 | 108 |
| More than one race | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Unknown or Not Reported | 32 | 12 | 44 |
Documents are hosted by the registry — open the source record to download them.
Plan to share: Yes — http://engagezone.msd.com/doc/ProcedureAccessClinicalTrialData.pdf
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Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC