Assessing the effectiveness of pembrolizumab with or without sacituzumab tirumotecan in lung cancer patients after surgery
Official title: A Phase 3 Randomized Open-Label Study of Adjuvant Pembrolizumab With or Without MK-2870 in Participants With Resectable Stage II to IIIB (N2) NSCLC Not Achieving pCR After Receiving Neoadjuvant Pembrolizumab With Platinum-based Doublet Chemotherapy Followed by Surgery
Run by Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC · NCT06312137 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing if adding a new drug called sacituzumab tirumotecan to pembrolizumab can help lung cancer patients who had surgery live longer without their cancer coming back.
Quick facts
| Phase | Phase 3 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 780 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC Industry-sponsored |
| Drugs / interventions | pembrolizumab, chemotherapy, radiation, prednisone, sacituzumab |
| Locations | 271 sites (Little Rock, Arkansas and 270 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | April 3, 2024 |
| Main results expected | February 21, 2034 |
| Study ends | October 23, 2034 |
| Registry record updated | November 10, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06312137 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are adults with resectable stage II, IIIA, or IIIB NSCLC who have not achieved pathological complete response after surgery.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients who have achieved pathological complete response or those for whom EGFR or ALK-directed therapies are indicated may not benefit from this study.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This study evaluates the efficacy and safety of combining sacituzumab tirumotecan with pembrolizumab in adult patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who did not achieve a pathological complete response after surgery. The primary goal is to determine if this combination improves disease-free survival compared to pembrolizumab alone. Participants will receive neoadjuvant therapy before surgery and will be monitored for outcomes through blinded independent central review.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could significantly improve disease-free survival rates for patients with NSCLC who do not achieve complete response after surgery.
How similar studies have gone: Other studies have shown promising results with similar immunotherapy combinations, suggesting potential for success in this approach.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
The key inclusion and exclusion criteria include but are not limited to the following: Inclusion Criteria: * Has histological or cytological confirmation of squamous or nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), resectable clinical Stage II, IIIA or IIIB (with nodal involvement \[N2\]) per AJCC eighth edition guidelines * Has confirmation that either epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-directed or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-directed therapy is not indicated as primary therapy * Is able to undergo surgery based on opinion of investigator after consultation with surgeon * Is able to receive neoadjuvant pembrolizumab and platinum-based doublet chemotherapy * Applies to screening for the adjuvant period only, before randomization: Has not achieved pathological complete response (pCR) at surgery by local review of pathology. * Applies to screening for the adjuvant period only, before randomization: Tumor tissue sample from surgical resection has been provided for determination of programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and trophoblast cell surface antigen 2 (TROP2) status by central vendor before randomization into the adjuvant period * Applies to screening for the adjuvant period only, before randomization: Confirmed to be disease-free based on re-baseline radiological assessment as documented by contrast enhanced chest/abdomen/pelvis computed tomography (CT) (or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)) within 28 days before randomization * Participants who have AEs due to previous anticancer therapies must have recovered to ≤Grade 1 or baseline. Participants with endocrine-related AEs who are adequately treated with hormone replacement are eligible * Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected participants must have well controlled HIV on antiretroviral therapy (ART) * Participants who are hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive are eligible if they have received hepatitis B virus (HBV) antiviral therapy for at least 4 weeks, and have undetectable HBV viral load at screening * Participants with history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are eligible if HCV viral load is undetectable at least 4 weeks before the start of study intervention Exclusion Criteria: * Has one of the following tumor locations/types: * NSCLC involving the superior sulcus * Large cell neuro-endocrine cancer (LCNEC) * Sarcomatoid tumor * Diagnosis of SCLC or, for mixed tumors, presence of small cell elements * Has Grade ≥2 peripheral neuropathy * Has history of documented severe dry eye syndrome, severe Meibomian gland disease and/or blepharitis, or severe corneal disease that prevents/delays corneal healing * Has active inflammatory bowel disease requiring immunosuppressive medication or previous history of inflammatory bowel disease * Has uncontrolled, significant cardiovascular disease or cerebrovascular disease, including New York Heart Association Class III or IV congestive heart failure, unstable angina, myocardial infarction, uncontrolled symptomatic arrhythmia, prolongation of QT corrected for heart rate by Fridericia's cube root formula (QTcF) interval to \>480 ms, and/or other serious cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases within the 6 months preceding study intervention * Has received prior neoadjuvant therapy for their current NSCLC diagnosis * Has received prior systemic anticancer therapy including investigational agents within 4 weeks before the first dose of study intervention * Has received prior radiotherapy within 2 weeks of start of study intervention, or radiation-related toxicities, requiring corticosteroids * Has received a live or live-attenuated vaccine within 30 days before the first dose of study intervention. Administration of killed vaccines is allowed * Has received an investigational agent or has used an investigational device within 4 weeks prior to study intervention administration * Has a diagnosis of immunodeficiency or is receiving chronic systemic steroid therapy (in dosing exceeding 10 mg daily of prednisone equivalent) or any other form of immunosuppressive therapy within 7 days prior the first dose of study medication * Has a known additional malignancy that is progressing or has required active treatment within the past 5 years * Has an active autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment in the past 2 years * Has a history of (noninfectious) interstitial lung disease (ILD)/pneumonitis, has current ILD/pneumonitis, or has suspected ILD or pneumonitis that cannot be ruled out by standard diagnostic assessments at screening * Has an active infection requiring systemic therapy * Is an HIV-infected participant with a history of Kaposi's sarcoma and/or Multicentric Castleman's Disease * Has a concurrent active Hepatitis B (defined as HBsAg positive and/or detectable HBV deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)) and Hepatitis C virus (defined as anti-HCV antibody (Ab) positive and detectable HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA)) infection * Has a history of allogeneic tissue/solid organ transplant * Has not adequately recovered from major surgery or have ongoing surgical complications * Severe hypersensitivity (≥Grade 3) to study intervention, any of its excipients, and/or to another biologic therapy
Where it's running
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UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute ( Site 0060)
Little Rock, Arkansas, United States Recruiting -
Highlands Oncology Group-Research Department ( Site 0062)
Springdale, Arkansas, United States Recruiting -
Beverly Hills Cancer Center ( Site 0070)
Beverly Hills, California, United States Recruiting -
UCLA Clinical & Translational Research Center (CTRC) ( Site 0033)
Los Angeles, California, United States Recruiting -
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian ( Site 0096)
Newport Beach, California, United States Recruiting -
St. Joseph Hospital-The Center for Cancer Prevention and Treatment ( Site 4002)
Orange, California, United States Recruiting
Show 44 more locations
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San Francisco Oncology Associates ( Site 0066)
San Francisco, California, United States Recruiting -
Stamford Hospital ( Site 0083)
Stamford, Connecticut, United States Recruiting -
Mayo Clinic in Florida ( Site 0014)
Jacksonville, Florida, United States Recruiting -
Mount Sinai Cancer Center ( Site 0038)
Miami Beach, Florida, United States Recruiting -
Mid Florida Hematology and Oncology Center ( Site 0018)
Orange City, Florida, United States Recruiting -
Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital ( Site 4016)
Albany, Georgia, United States Recruiting -
Piedmont Atlanta Hospital ( Site 4000)
Atlanta, Georgia, United States Recruiting -
Emory University School of Medicine-Phase I ( Site 0056)
Atlanta, Georgia, United States Recruiting -
Northside Hospital ( Site 0055)
Atlanta, Georgia, United States Recruiting -
Southeastern Regional Medical Center ( Site 0065)
Newnan, Georgia, United States Recruiting -
Lewis Cancer and Research Pavilion ( Site 0063)
Savannah, Georgia, United States Recruiting -
Archbold Cancer Center ( Site 0071)
Thomasville, Georgia, United States Recruiting -
North Shore University Health System ( Site 4014)
Evanston, Illinois, United States Recruiting -
Accellacare of Duly ( Site 4005)
Lisle, Illinois, United States Recruiting -
Parkview Research Center at Parkview Regional Medical Center ( Site 0089)
Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States Recruiting -
Indiana University Health Arnett Cancer Center ( Site 0076)
Lafayette, Indiana, United States Recruiting -
Saint Elizabeth Medical Center Edgewood-Cancer Care Center ( Site 0061)
Edgewood, Kentucky, United States Recruiting -
LSU Health Baton Rouge North Clinic ( Site 4003)
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States Recruiting -
Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group-Medical Oncology ( Site 0080)
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States Recruiting -
New England Cancer Specialists ( Site 0095)
Westbrook, Maine, United States Recruiting -
Allina Health Cancer Institute - Abbott Northwestern Hospital ( Site 0027)
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States Recruiting -
Mayo Clinic - Rochester ( Site 0073)
Rochester, Minnesota, United States Recruiting -
Mercy South - David M Sindelar Cancer Center ( Site 0098)
St Louis, Missouri, United States Recruiting -
Mercy Research - David C. Pratt Cancer Center ( Site 0006)
St Louis, Missouri, United States Recruiting -
Renown Regional Medical Center-Renown Health Medical Oncology ( Site 0037)
Reno, Nevada, United States Recruiting -
Atlantic Health Morristown Medical Center ( Site 0077)
Morristown, New Jersey, United States Recruiting -
Cayuga Medical Center ( Site 0086)
Ithaca, New York, United States Recruiting -
University Hospital at Stony Brook ( Site 0054)
Stony Brook, New York, United States Recruiting -
White Plains Hospital ( Site 0091)
White Plains, New York, United States Recruiting -
Sanford Fargo Medical Center-Roger Maris Cancer Center ( Site 0057)
Fargo, North Dakota, United States Recruiting -
Hightower Clinical, LLC ( Site 0084)
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States Recruiting -
Oregon Health and Science University ( Site 0052)
Portland, Oregon, United States Recruiting -
Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center-Penn State Cancer Institute ( Site 0059)
Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States Recruiting -
Lancaster General Hospital - Ann B Barshinger Cancer Institute ( Site 0068)
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States Recruiting -
Saint Joseph's Candler Health System ( Site 4010)
Bluffton, South Carolina, United States Recruiting -
Medical University of South Carolina-Hollings Cancer Center ( Site 0045)
Charleston, South Carolina, United States Recruiting -
Sanford Cancer Center ( Site 0053)
Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States Recruiting -
Avera Cancer Institute- Research ( Site 0090)
Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States Recruiting -
University of Tennessee Medical Center Knoxville ( Site 0082)
Knoxville, Tennessee, United States Recruiting -
Huntsman Cancer Institute ( Site 0042)
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States Recruiting -
Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires-Clinical Oncology ( Site 0213)
Ciudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina Recruiting -
Hospital Británico de Buenos Aires-Oncology ( Site 0207)
Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina Recruiting -
Sanatorio Británico-Clinical Oncology Department ( Site 0206)
Rosario, Santa Fe Province, Argentina Recruiting -
Sanatorio Parque ( Site 0205)
Rosario, Santa Fe Province, Argentina Recruiting
+221 more sites. See ClinicalTrials.gov for the full list.
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Toll Free Number
- Email: Trialsites@msd.com
- Phone: 1-888-577-8839
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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.