Adjuvant cemiplimab after complete surgery for stage II–IIIA non-small cell lung cancer in patients who have not had chemotherapy
Official title: A Randomised Phase III Trial of Adjuvant Cemiplimab in Patients With Resected Stage II-IIIA NSCLC Who Have Not Received Prior Adjuvant Chemotherapy
Run by ETOP IBCSG Partners Foundation · NCT06931717 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial tests whether giving cemiplimab after complete surgery can help prevent cancer from coming back in people with stage II–IIIA non-small cell lung cancer who did not receive chemotherapy.
Quick facts
| Phase | Phase 3 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 390 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | ETOP IBCSG Partners Foundation Research network |
| Drugs / interventions | cemiplimab, chemotherapy, prednisone |
| Locations | 35 sites (Vienna and 34 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | January 12, 2026 |
| Main results expected | March 2029 |
| Study ends | March 2029 |
| Registry record updated | October 28, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06931717 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are adults with pathologic stage II–IIIA NSCLC who had a complete (R0) resection, have tumor PD-L1 ≥1%, have not received adjuvant platinum chemotherapy, and can provide tumor tissue and attend study visits.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with PD-L1 <1%, those who already received adjuvant chemotherapy, those with positive surgical margins or unresectable/metastatic disease, or patients ineligible for the required imaging or tissue submission are unlikely to benefit from this protocol.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
ARCH is a randomized, stratified, multicenter Phase III trial comparing adjuvant cemiplimab to observation in patients with completely resected stage II–IIIA non-small cell lung cancer who have not received prior adjuvant platinum chemotherapy. Treatment consists of cemiplimab 350 mg IV every 3 weeks for four cycles, then 700 mg IV every 6 weeks for up to six cycles, or until relapse or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint is disease-free survival, with the primary analysis planned in patients whose tumors have centrally confirmed PD-L1 expression ≥1%. Key eligibility includes R0 resection, appropriate lymph node dissection, required brain imaging, and availability of tumor tissue for central testing.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lower the risk of recurrence after surgery and extend the time patients remain cancer-free.
How similar studies have gone: Similar adjuvant strategies using PD-1/PD-L1–directed therapies have shown disease-free survival benefits in some recent trials, but results vary by drug, patient subgroup, and prior chemotherapy use.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Pathological stage II-IIIA (UICC/ AJCC staging 9th edition) NSCLC Brain imaging should have been performed to complete staging, either preoperatively or postoperatively. If brain imaging has not been performed, a contrast-enhanced CT or MRI of the brain must be performed at screening prior randomisation. * Complete resection with negative surgical margins (R0). * Acceptable types of surgical resection include any of the following: * Lobectomy, sleeve lobectomy, bilobectomy, or pneumectomy. * Segmentectomy for tumours ≤2 cm is permitted in patients with poor pulmonary reserve or another major comorbidity that contraindicates lobectomy. * Wedge resection is not allowed. * Lymph node dissection should be done according to applicable guidelines. * No disease recurrence following surgical resection. * Tumour PD-L1 expression of ≥1%, determined locally using a locally approved immuno-histochemistry test. * Availability of archival FFPE tumour tissue for central PD-L1 expression testing. * Patient is not considered for adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy due to: * Documented patient refusal; or * Patient is unfit to receive adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy (per investigator assessment) due to: ECOG PS2, or ECOG PS 0/1 and aged ≥70 years with substantial comorbidities or other contraindication(s) to platinum-based doublet chemotherapy. * Estimated life expectancy of ≥3 months. * Age ≥18 years. * Patient has recovered from surgery-related complications. * Adequate haematological, renal and liver function. * Patient is able to comply with the trial protocol, in the investigator's judgment. * Negative pregnancy test Female participants of childbearing potential (including women who had their last menstruation in the last 2 years), must have a negative serum pregnancy test within 5 weeks before randomisation. Pregnancy test must be repeated within 3 days before the first dose of protocol treatment and at every treatment visit (urine beta HCG test is sufficient). * Use of highly effective contraceptive methods Female participants of childbearing potential (including women who had their last menstruation in the last 2 years) and male participants with a female partners of childbearing potential must agree to use a highly effective method of contraception for the duration of the protocol treatment and until 4 months after the last dose of cemiplimab. * Written Informed Consent must be signed and dated by the patient and the investigator prior to any trial-related intervention. Exclusion Criteria: * EGFR-mutant or ALK-rearranged NSCLC. * Any small cell component * Prior neoadjuvant and/or adjuvant systemic treatment for NSCLC. Note: Previous treatment for another malignancy not excluded as per next criterion (Participating in another interventional clinical trial for NSCLC) is allowed if the below conditions are fulfilled: * Treatment with an approved systemic therapy is completed \>4 weeks before randomisation or * Treatment with systemic biologic therapy is completed \>5 half-lives before randomisation and patient has recovered from any immune-mediated adverse events and endocrinopathies are adequately managed with hormone replacement. * Participating in another interventional clinical trial for NSCLC. * Diagnosis with another malignancy other than NSCLC that is progressing or requires active treatment. Exceptions: * Non-melanoma skin cancer that has undergone potentially curative therapy * In situ cervical carcinoma * Any tumour that has been deemed to be definitively treated, such as definitively treated non-metastatic prostate cancer. * Has any condition requiring ongoing/continuous corticosteroid therapy (\>10 mg prednisone/day or anti-inflammatory equivalent) within 1 week prior to randomisation. Physiologic replacement doses are allowed even if they are \>10 mg of prednisone per day or equivalent, as long as they are not being administered for immunosuppressive intent. Inhaled or topical steroids are permitted, provided that they are not for treatment of an autoimmune disorder. Note: Patients who require a brief course of steroids (ex. 3 days in the week before randomisation) or physiologic replacement are allowed to be included in the study. * Ongoing or recent (within 5 years) evidence of significant autoimmune disease that required treatment with systemic immunosuppressive treatments. The following are not exclusions: vitiligo, childhood asthma that has resolved, endocrinopathies (such as hypothyroidism or type 1 diabetes) that require only hormone replacement, or psoriasis that does not require systemic treatment. * Encephalitis, meningitis, organic brain disease (e.g., Parkinson's disease) or uncontrolled seizures within 1 year prior to randomisation. * Myocardial infarction within 6 months prior to randomisation. * Known history of, or any evidence of, interstitial lung disease or active, non-infectious pneumonitis within 5 years prior to randomisation. * Uncontrolled infection with HIV, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C infection; or the patient has a diagnosis of immunodeficiency. * Patients with known HIV infection who have controlled infection \[undetectable viral load (HIV RNA PCR) and CD4 count above 350 either spontaneously or on a stable antiviral regimen\] are allowed to be included in the study. Patients with controlled HIV infection should be monitored according to local standards. * Patients with hepatitis B (HBsAg+) with controlled infection (serum hepatitis B virus DNA PCR that is below the limit of detection and receiving antiviral therapy for hepatitis B) may be included in the study. Patients with controlled infection must undergo regular monitoring of HBV DNA. Patients must remain on antiviral therapy for at least 6 months after the last dose of cemiplimab. * Patients who are hepatitis C virus antibody positive (HCV Ab+) with controlled infection (undetectable HCV RNA by PCR either spontaneously or in response to a successful prior course of anti-HCV therapy) may be included in the study. * Any infection requiring hospitalisation or treatment with intravenous anti-infectives within 2 weeks before randomisation. * Receipt of a live vaccine within 28 days before randomisation. * Receipt of a COVID-19 vaccination within 1 week before randomisation. * Prior allogeneic stem cell transplantation or received organ transplants at any time, or autologous stem cell transplantation within 12 weeks before randomisation. * Known or suspected hypersensitivity to cemiplimab or its excipients. * Women who are pregnant, planning to become pregnant or are in the period of lactation. * Sexually active men and women of childbearing potential who are not willing to use an effective contraceptive method during the study. * Patients who are, or have an immediate family member who is, a member of the clinical study team, unless prior approval has been obtained from the sponsor (ETOP IBCSG Partners Foundation). * Judgement by the investigator that the patient is unlikely to comply with study procedures, restrictions and requirements.
Where it's running
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Wien AKH
Vienna, Austria Recruiting -
North Estonia Medical Centre Foundation
Talinn, Estonia Recruiting -
CHU d'Angers
Angers, France Recruiting -
Ruhrlandklinik Essen
Essen, Germany Recruiting -
LMU München
München, Germany Recruiting -
Pius Hospital, University Medicine Oldenburg
Oldenburg, Germany Recruiting
Show 29 more locations
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Beaumont Hospital
Dublin, Ireland Recruiting -
St James's Hospital
Dublin, Ireland Recruiting -
IRCCS - Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST)
Meldola, Italy Recruiting -
Instituto Europeo di Oncologia (IEO)
Milan, Italy Recruiting -
Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo
Pavia, Italy Recruiting -
Nuovo Ospedale di Prato Santo Stefano
Prato, Italy Recruiting -
Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata di Verona
Verona, Italy Recruiting -
National University Hospital
Singapore, Singapore Recruiting -
Complejo Hospitalario Universitario
A Coruña, Spain Recruiting -
Hospital General Universitario Dr. Balmis de Alicante
Alicante, Spain Recruiting -
Hospital Universitario Cruces
Barakaldo, Spain Recruiting -
Hospital de La Santa Creu I Sant Pau
Barcelona, Spain Recruiting -
Hospital Universitario Vall D'Hebron
Barcelona, Spain Recruiting -
Hospital Clínico San Cecilio de Granada
Granada, Spain Recruiting -
Hospital Universitario de Jerez de La Frontera
Jerez de la Frontera, Spain Recruiting -
Hospital Clínico San Carlos
Madrid, Spain Recruiting -
Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria
Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain Recruiting -
Hospital General Universitario de Valencia
Valencia, Spain Recruiting -
University Hospital Basel
Basel, Switzerland Recruiting -
Kantonsspital Winterthur
Winterthur, Switzerland Recruiting -
Centre hospitalier d'Avignon
Avignon, France Not yet recruiting -
Evangelische Lungenklinik Berlin
Buch, Germany Not yet recruiting -
Cork University Hospital
Cork, Ireland Not yet recruiting -
St. Vincent's University Hospital
Dublin, Ireland Not yet recruiting -
Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori
Milan, Italy Not yet recruiting -
AOU Maggiore della Carità
Novara, Italy Not yet recruiting -
University of Perugia, AO SM Misericorida Perugia
Perugia, Italy Not yet recruiting -
Azienda ospedaliero-universitaria Senese Siena
Siena, Italy Not yet recruiting -
AULSS2 Marca Trevigiana Treviso
Treviso, Italy Not yet recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Heidi Roschitzki, PhD
- Email: heidi.roschitzki@etop.ibcsg.org
- Phone: +41 31 511 94 00
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.