A Phase 2 interventional study of VRP-HER2 and Pembrolizumab in Breast Cancer and HER2+ Breast Cancer, sponsored by Herbert Lyerly. Terminated at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-06-04.
Sponsored by Herbert Lyerly · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment
In this phase II study, participants will receive the VRP-HER2 immunizations plus pembrolizumab. Subjects will be randomized into 3 arms. They will undergo a biopsy of their tumor and peripheral blood draw for immune cell analyses and be assigned to the applicable arm of the study. Arm A will consist of the the VRP-HER2 immunizations; Arm B will consist of pembrolizumab; Arm C will consist of the VRP-HER2 immunizations plus pembrolizumab.
The primary objective of this phase II study is to determine whether pembrolizumab increases the tumor infiltrating and peripheral blood immune response to the VRP-HER2 vaccine. The investigators hypothesize that HER2 specific T cell responses and anti-tumor immunity induced with HER2 vaccination will be augmented by concurrent anti-PD-1 antibody therapy.
The investigators will additionally determine whether the administration of pembrolizumab is safe in patients with recurrent or metastatic HER2+ cancers who are receiving the anti-HER2 vaccine VRP-HER2.
Participants will be randomized 1:1:1 into 3 arms (n=12 per arm). Subjects with metastatic HER2 overexpressing breast cancer receiving trastuzumab and pertuzumab will continue these antibodies. They will undergo a biopsy of their tumor and peripheral blood draw for immune cell analyses and be assigned to the applicable arm of the study. Arm A will consist of the the VRP-HER2 immunizations; Arm B will consist of pembrolizumab; Arm C will consist of the VRP-HER2 immunizations plus pembrolizumab. Tumor biopsies and peripheral blood draws will be performed following the course of immunizations.
12,544 studies on the registry are indexed under Breast Neoplasms; 2,892 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 8 is below the median of 72 across 9,303 interventional studies indexed under Breast Neoplasms.
Browse Breast Neoplasms studies →Herbert Lyerly is the lead sponsor of 4 studies on the registry; none are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
System Laboratory Value 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
Serum creatinine OR Measured or calculated creatinine clearance
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 OR≤ 5 X ULN for subjects with liver metastases Albumin >2.5 mg/dL 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
Note: Abstinence is acceptable if this is the usual lifestyle and preferred contraception for the subject.
Exclusion Criteria:
VRP-HER2 Vaccine 4 x 10EE8 IU given as a single injection every 2 weeks for 3 injections total (Cycle 1: Day 1 and Day 15 Cycle 2: Day 8)
Biological: VRP-HER2
5 administrations of Pembrolizumab 200 mg every 3 weeks for 5 total IV infusions (Day 1 of each 3 week cycle x 5 cycles)
Biological: Pembrolizumab
VRP-HER2 Vaccine 4 x 10EE8 IU given as a single injection every 2 weeks for 3 injections total (Cycle 1: Day 1 and Day 15 Cycle 2: Day 8)+ 5 administrations of Pembrolizumab 200 mg every 3 weeks for 5 total IV infusions (Day 1 of each 3 week cycle x 5 cycles)
Biological: VRP-HER2 · Biological: Pembrolizumab
VRP (alphavirus-like replicon particles) containing self amplifying replicon RNA for HER2
Also known as: AVX901
A humanized antibody specific for the programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) receptor.
Also known as: Keytruda
Number of Participants With a Positive T Cell Response Based on ELISpot Results
The enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (ELISpot) assay is a quantitative method that measures the frequency of cytokine secretion in a single cell.
Time frame: up to approximately 15 weeks
Number of Participants With a Severe Adverse Event as Assessed by CTCAE v5.0
Adverse events are graded on a scale from 1 to 5. Grade 1 adverse events are mild and generally not bothersome. Grade 2 events are bothersome and may interfere with doing some activities but are not dangerous. Grade 3 events are serious and interfere with a person's ability to do basic things like eat or get dressed. Grade 3 events may also require medical intervention. Grade 4 events are usually severe enough to require hospitalization. Grade 5 events are fatal. Reported here is the number of participants with a grade 3 adverse event.
Time frame: up to approximately 15 weeks
Number of Participants With Stable Disease as Overall Response Based on RECIST 1.1 Criteria
RECIST (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors) defines Stable Disease as neither partial response (\>30% decrease in the sum of diameters of target lesions) or progressive disease (\<20% decrease in the sum of diameters of target lesions).
Time frame: up to approximately 15 weeks
| Milestone | VRP-HER2 Vaccine | Pembrolizumab | VRP-HER2 Vaccine + Pembrolizumab |
|---|---|---|---|
| Started | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Completed | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Not completed | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (ELISpot) assay is a quantitative method that measures the frequency of cytokine secretion in a single cell.
| Participants | VRP-HER2 Vaccine | Pembrolizumab | VRP-HER2 Vaccine + Pembrolizumab |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Participants With a Positive T Cell Response Based on ELISpot Results | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Adverse events are graded on a scale from 1 to 5. Grade 1 adverse events are mild and generally not bothersome. Grade 2 events are bothersome and may interfere with doing some activities but are not dangerous. Grade 3 events are serious and interfere with a person's ability to do basic things like eat or get dressed. Grade 3 events may also require medical intervention. Grade 4 events are usually severe enough to require hospitalization. Grade 5 events are fatal. Reported here is the number of participants with a grade 3 adverse event.
| Participants | VRP-HER2 Vaccine | Pembrolizumab | VRP-HER2 Vaccine + Pembrolizumab |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Participants With a Severe Adverse Event as Assessed by CTCAE v5.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
RECIST (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors) defines Stable Disease as neither partial response (\>30% decrease in the sum of diameters of target lesions) or progressive disease (\<20% decrease in the sum of diameters of target lesions).
| Participants | VRP-HER2 Vaccine | Pembrolizumab | VRP-HER2 Vaccine + Pembrolizumab |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Participants With Stable Disease as Overall Response Based on RECIST 1.1 Criteria | 1 | 1 | 4 |
Collected over Up to approximately 15 weeks. Non-serious events are listed at a 0% frequency threshold.
| Group | Deaths | Serious | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| VRP-HER2 Vaccine | 0/1 (0%) | 0/1 (0%) | 1/1 (100%) |
| Pembrolizumab | 0/2 (0%) | 0/2 (0%) | 2/2 (100%) |
| VRP-HER2 Vaccine + Pembrolizumab | 1/5 (20%) | 1/5 (20%) | 4/5 (80%) |
| Event | VRP-HER2 Vaccine | Pembrolizumab | VRP-HER2 Vaccine + Pembrolizumab |
|---|---|---|---|
| DiarrheaGastrointestinal disorders | 0/1 | 0/2 | 1/5 |
| HyponatremiaMetabolism and nutrition disorders | 0/1 | 0/2 | 1/5 |
| DehydrationMetabolism and nutrition disorders | 0/1 | 0/2 | 1/5 |
| Creatinine increasedInvestigations | 0/1 | 0/2 | 1/5 |
| Event | VRP-HER2 Vaccine | Pembrolizumab | VRP-HER2 Vaccine + Pembrolizumab |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plantar WartsSkin and subcutaneous tissue disorders | 1/1 | 0/2 | 0/5 |
| DiarrheaGastrointestinal disorders | 0/1 | 0/2 | 3/5 |
| Localized edemaGeneral disorders | 0/1 | 1/2 | 0/5 |
| ArthralgiaMusculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders | 0/1 | 1/2 | 0/5 |
| Edema faceGeneral disorders | 0/1 | 1/2 | 0/5 |
| NauseaGastrointestinal disorders | 0/1 | 0/2 | 2/5 |
| Exacerbation of Psoriasis- bilateral handsSkin and subcutaneous tissue disorders | 0/1 | 0/2 | 1/5 |
| Hot flashesVascular disorders | 0/1 | 0/2 | 1/5 |
| InsomniaPsychiatric disorders | 0/1 | 0/2 | 1/5 |
| MyalgiaMusculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders | 0/1 | 0/2 | 1/5 |
| Age, Continuous(years) | VRP-HER2 Vaccine | Pembrolizumab | VRP-HER2 Vaccine + Pembrolizumab | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean | 36.0 ± NA | 52.0 ± 12.7 | 63.8 ± 9.5 | 57.4 ± 13.3 |
| Sex: Female, Male(Participants) | VRP-HER2 Vaccine | Pembrolizumab | VRP-HER2 Vaccine + Pembrolizumab | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 1 | 2 | 5 | 8 |
| Male | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)(Participants) | VRP-HER2 Vaccine | Pembrolizumab | VRP-HER2 Vaccine + Pembrolizumab | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Not Hispanic or Latino | 1 | 2 | 5 | 8 |
| Unknown or Not Reported | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Race (NIH/OMB)(Participants) | VRP-HER2 Vaccine | Pembrolizumab | VRP-HER2 Vaccine + Pembrolizumab | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Asian | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Black or African American | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| White | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| More than one race | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown or Not Reported | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Region of Enrollment(Participants) | VRP-HER2 Vaccine | Pembrolizumab | VRP-HER2 Vaccine + Pembrolizumab | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 1 | 2 | 5 | 8 |
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Herbert Lyerly