A Phase 3 interventional study of Calderasib and Placebo in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer, sponsored by Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC. Recruiting at 247 sites in 30 countries. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-10.
Sponsored by Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC (part of Merck & Co., Inc) · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment
This is a study evaluating the efficacy and safety of calderasib with pembrolizumab as first-line treatment in participants with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with identified Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog G12C (KRAS G12C) mutation and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) tumor proportion score (TPS) ≥50%. There is one primary study hypothesis:
Combination of calderasib and pembrolizumab is superior to placebo plus pembrolizumab with respect to progression free survival (PFS) per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors Version 1.1 (RECIST 1.1) by blinded independent central review (BICR).
Per Protocol Amendment 04, overall survival (OS) was moved to be a secondary outcome measure. Additionally, no new participants will be offered Second Course treatment for pembrolizumab.
7,620 studies on the registry are indexed under Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung; 1,838 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 348 is above the median of 62 across 6,019 interventional studies indexed under Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung.
Browse Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung studies →Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC is the lead sponsor of 2,166 studies on the registry; 132 are open to participants now.
Of its 501 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 370 (74%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
The criteria were revised on the registry on Oct 5, 2026. See what changed
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
The main inclusion and exclusion criteria include but are not limited to the following:
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
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.
The diagnosis was confirmed by looking at a sample under a microscope: tissue from a biopsy or surgery (histology), or cells from a fluid or needle sample (cytology).
Your pathology report is the document that shows this.
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.
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.
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 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 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.
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.
Cancer that has spread from where it began to other parts of the body. “Metastatic” cancer is cancer that has spread this way.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Histologically or cytologically confirmed
The diagnosis was confirmed by looking at a sample under a microscope: tissue from a biopsy or surgery (histology), or cells from a fluid or needle sample (cytology).
Your pathology report is the document that shows this.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
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.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
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.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
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.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
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.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
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.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
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.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Metastases
Cancer that has spread from where it began to other parts of the body. “Metastatic” cancer is cancer that has spread this way.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
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.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
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.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
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.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
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.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Participants receive pembrolizumab 200 mg via intravenous (IV) infusion on Day 1 of each 21-day cycle (q3w) for up to 35 cycles and calderasib by oral tablets until discontinuation criterion is met.
Drug: Calderasib · Biological: Pembrolizumab
Participants receive pembrolizumab 200 mg via intravenous (IV) infusion on Day 1 of each 21-day cycle (q3w) for up to 35 cycles and placebo by oral tablets once daily until discontinuation criterion is met.
Other: Placebo · Biological: Pembrolizumab
Oral tablets
Also known as: MK-1084
Oral tablets
IV infusion
Also known as: MK-3475, KEYTRUDA ®
Progression-Free Survival (PFS)
PFS is defined as the time from randomization until either documented disease progression per Response Criteria in Solid Tumors Version 1.1 (RECIST 1.1) or death due to any cause, whichever occurs first. PFS as determined by blinded independent central review (BICR) will be presented.
Time frame: Up to approximately 42 months
Overall Survival
OS is defined as the time from randomization to death due to any cause.
Time frame: Up to approximately 57 months
Objective Response Rate (ORR)
ORR is defined as the percentage of participants with Complete Response or Partial Response per RECIST1.1. The percentage of participants who experience CR or PR as assessed by BICR will be presented.
Time frame: Up to approximately 42 months
Duration of Response (DOR)
For participants who demonstrate confirmed CR or PR per RECIST 1.1 as assessed by BICR, duration of response is defined as the time from the first documented evidence of CR or PR until disease progression or death due to any cause, whichever occurs first.
Time frame: Up to approximately 42 months
Number of Participants Who Experience One or More Adverse Event (AEs)
An AE is any unfavorable and unintended sign, symptom, or disease temporally associated with the use of a medicinal product or protocol-specified procedure, whether or not considered related to the medicinal product or protocol-specified procedure. Any worsening of a preexisting condition that is temporally associated with the use of the Sponsor's product, is also an AE. The number of participants who experience an AE will be presented.
Time frame: Up to approximately 80 months
Number of Participants Who Discontinue Study Treatment Due to an Adverse Event (AE)
An AE is any unfavorable and unintended sign, symptom, or disease temporally associated with the use of a medicinal product or protocol-specified procedure, whether or not considered related to the medicinal product or protocol-specified procedure. Any worsening of a preexisting condition that is temporally associated with the use of the Sponsor's product, is also an AE. The number of participants who discontinue study treatment due to an AE will be presented.
Time frame: Up to approximately 80 months
Change From Baseline in European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) Global Health Status (Item 29) and Quality of Life (Item 30) Combined Score
The EORTC QLQ-C30 is a questionnaire to assess the overall quality of life of cancer patients. Participant responses to the questions "How would you rate your overall health during the past week?" and "How would you rate your overall quality of life during the past week?" are scored on a 7-point scale (1= Very poor to 7=Excellent). Using linear transformation, raw scores are standardized, so that scores range from 0 to 100. The change from baseline in the score of EORTC QLQ-C30 Items 29 and 30 will be presented. Higher scores indicate a better overall health status.
Time frame: Baseline and Up to approximately 24 months
Change From Baseline in EORTC QLQ-C30 Physical Functioning (Items 1-5) Score
The EORTC QLQ-C30 is a questionnaire to assess the overall quality of life of cancer patients. Participant responses to 5 questions about their physical functioning are scored on a 4-point scale (1=Not at All to 4=Very Much). The change from baseline in the score of EORTC QLQ-C30 Items 1-5 will be presented. Higher scores indicate a better level of functioning.
Time frame: Baseline and Up to approximately 24 months
Change From Baseline in EORTC QLQ-C30 Role Functioning (Items 6-7) Score
The EORTC QLQ-C30 is a questionnaire to assess the overall quality of life of cancer patients. Participant responses to 2 questions about their role functioning are scored on a 4-point scale (1=Not at All to 4=Very Much). The change from baseline in the score of EORTC QLQ-C30 Items 6-7 will be presented. Higher scores indicate a better level of functioning.
Time frame: Baseline and Up to approximately 24 months
Change From Baseline in EORTC QLQ-C30 Dyspnea (Item 8) Score
The EORTC QLQ-C30 is a questionnaire to assess the overall quality of life of cancer patients. Participant response to the question "Were you short of breath?" is scored on a 4-point scale (1=Not at All to 4=Very Much). The change from baseline in the score of EORTC QLQ-C30 Item 8 will be presented. A higher score indicates a worse level of dyspnea.
Time frame: Baseline and Up to approximately 24 months
Change From Baseline in European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Lung Cancer Module (EORTC QLQ-LC13) Cough (Item 31) Score
The EORTC QLQ-C13 is a lung cancer-specific supplemental questionnaire used in combination with the EORTC QLQ-C30. Participant response to the question "Have you coughed?" is scored on a 4-point scale (1=Not at All to 4=Very Much). The change from baseline in the score of EORTC QLQ-C13 Item 31 will be presented. A higher score indicates more frequent coughing.
Time frame: Baseline and Up to approximately 24 months
Change From Baseline in EORTC QLQ-LC13 Chest Pain (Item 40) Score
The EORTC QLQ-C13 is lung cancer-specific supplemental questionnaire used in combination with the EORTC QLQ-C30. Participant response to the question "Have you had pain in your chest?" is scored on a 4-point scale (1=Not at All to 4=Very Much). The change from baseline in the score of EORTC QLQ-C13 Item 40 will be presented. A higher score indicates a worse level of chest pain.
Time frame: Baseline and Up to approximately 24 months
Time to Deterioration (TTD) in EORTC-QLQ-C30 Global Health Status (Item 29) Quality of Life (Item 30) Combined Score
TTD is defined as the time from baseline to the first onset of a ≥10-point negative change (decrease) from baseline in global health status (GHS) and quality of life (QoL) (EORTC QLQ-C30 Items 29 and 30) score. Participant responses to the questions "How would you rate your overall health during the past week?" and "How would you rate your overall quality of life during the past week?" are scored on a 7-point scale (1= Very poor to 7=Excellent). Using linear transformation, raw scores are standardized, so that scores range from 0 to 100. The TTD, as assessed based on a ≥10 point negative change (decrease) from baseline in GHS and QoL, will be presented. A longer TTD indicates a better outcome.
Time frame: Baseline and Up to approximately 24 months
TTD in EORTC-QLQ-C30 Physical Functioning (Items 1-5) Score
TTD is defined as the time from baseline to the first onset of a ≥10-point negative change (decrease) from baseline in physical functioning (EORTC QLQ-C30 Items 1-5) score. The EORTC QLQ-C30 is a questionnaire to assess the overall quality of life of cancer patients. Participant responses to 5 questions about their physical functioning are scored on a 4-point scale (1=Not at All to 4=Very Much). Using linear transformation, raw scores are standardized, so that scores range from 0 to 100. The TTD, as assessed based on a ≥10 point negative change (decrease) from baseline in physical functioning score, will be presented. A longer TTD indicates a better outcome.
Time frame: Baseline and Up to approximately 24 months
TTD in EORTC-QLQ-C30 Role Functioning (Items 6-7) Score
TTD is defined as the time from baseline to the first onset of a ≥10-point negative change (decrease) from baseline in role functioning (EORTC QLQ-C30 Items 6 and 7) score. The EORTC QLQ-C30 is a questionnaire to assess the overall quality of life of cancer patients. Participant responses to 2 questions about their role functioning are scored on a 4-point scale (1=Not at All to 4=Very Much). Using linear transformation, raw scores are standardized, so that scores range from 0 to 100. The TTD, as assessed based on a ≥10 point negative change (decrease) from baseline in role functioning score, will be presented. A longer TTD indicates a better outcome.
Time frame: Baseline and Up to approximately 24 months
TTD in EORTC-QLQ-C30 Dyspnea (Item 8) Score
TTD is defined as the time from baseline to the first onset of a ≥10-point negative change (decrease) from baseline in dyspnea (EORTC QLQ-C30 Item 8) score. The EORTC QLQ-C30 is a questionnaire to assess the overall quality of life of cancer patients. Participant response to the question "Were you short of breath?" is scored on a 4-point scale (1=Not at All to 4=Very Much). Using linear transformation, raw scores are standardized, so that scores range from 0 to 100. The TTD, as assessed based on a ≥10 point negative change (decrease) from baseline in dyspnea score, will be presented. A longer TTD indicates a better outcome.
Time frame: Baseline and Up to approximately 24 months
TTD in EORTC QLQ-LC13 Cough (Item 31) Score
TTD is defined as the time from baseline to the first onset of a ≥10-point negative change (decrease) from baseline in cough (EORTC QLQ-C13 Item 31) score. The EORTC QLQ-C13 is lung cancer-specific supplemental questionnaire used in combination with the EORTC QLQ-C30. Participant response to the question "Have you coughed?" is scored on a 4-point scale (1=Not at All to 4=Very Much). Using linear transformation, raw scores are standardized, so that scores range from 0 to 100. The TTD, as assessed based on a ≥10 point negative change (decrease) from baseline in cough score, will be presented. A longer TTD indicates a better outcome.
Time frame: Baseline and Up to approximately 24 months
TTD in EORTC QLQ-LC13 Chest Pain (Item 40) Score
TTD is defined as the time from baseline to the first onset of a ≥10-point negative change (decrease) from baseline in chest pain (EORTC QLQ-C13 Item 40) score. The EORTC QLQ-C13 is lung cancer-specific supplemental questionnaire used in combination with the EORTC QLQ-C30. Participant response to the question "Have you had pain in your chest?" is scored on a 4-point scale (1=Not at All to 4=Very Much). Using linear transformation, raw scores are standardized, so that scores range from 0 to 100. The TTD, as assessed based on a ≥10 point negative change (decrease) from baseline chest pain score, will be presented. A longer TTD indicates a better outcome.
Time frame: Baseline and Up to approximately 24 months
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Showing the first 100 of 247 sites across 30 countries. Choose a country and city above to see the rest.
Plan to share: Yes — https://trialstransparency.msdclinicaltrials.com/pdf/ProcedureAccessClinicalTrialData.pdf
Data sharing details ↗ · externaldatasharing-msd.com
Started May 2024 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Jan 2028, 44 months after the start.
Of 314 industry-sponsored phase 3 interventional studies under Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung, half reached primary completion within 39 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 27 and three quarters within 57. This study's planned 44 months is above that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 423 studies reached it within 45 months; a quarter within 30 and three quarters within 69.
Primary completion moved once since we started tracking on Sep 25, 2026: Feb 2029 → Jan 2028, on Oct 5, 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.
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 ↗
Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.
Contact study teamGet an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
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Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.
Studies of the drug tested here: Calderasib
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung →