Clinical trial Recruiting at 1 site Phase 3 Interventional Ages 18 to 75

Becotatug Vedotin plus Anti-PD-1 as maintenance for recurrent/metastatic NPC

Official title: Efficacy and Safety of Becotatug Vedotin (MRG003) Combined With Anti-PD1 as Maintenance Therapy for Recurrent and Metastatic Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: A Randomized, Controlled, Multicenter Phase III Clinical Study

Run by Sun Yat-sen University · NCT07705243 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This phase 3 trial tests whether adding becotatug vedotin to an anti-PD-1 therapy as maintenance can help people with recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer who have stable disease after initial treatment.

More Nasopharyngeal Cancinoma (NPC) trials

Quick facts

PhasePhase 3
Study typeInterventional
Ages18 Years to 75 Years
SexAll
Enrollment86 (estimated)
SponsorSun Yat-sen University
Academic / other
Drugs / interventionschemotherapy, immunotherapy
Locations1 site (Guangzhou, Guangdong)
StatusRecruiting
StartedJuly 20, 2026
Main results expectedJuly 20, 2028
Study endsJuly 20, 2029
Registry record updatedJuly 15, 2026
Trial IDNCT07705243 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Adults 18-75 with histologically confirmed NPC, stage IVb/IV or recurrent disease unsuitable for local therapy, stable disease or EBV DNA positivity after 4-6 cycles of first-line chemoimmunotherapy, ECOG 0-1, and adequate organ function.

Probably not a fit

Patients with rapid disease progression on maintenance, poor performance status, or significant organ dysfunction may not benefit from the combination.

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This multicenter randomized Phase III study compares anti-PD-1 maintenance therapy alone versus anti-PD-1 maintenance plus becotatug vedotin in adults with recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Eligible participants have stable disease or detectable EBV DNA after 4-6 cycles of first-line chemoimmunotherapy and adequate organ function. Participants are randomized 1:1 to receive either anti-PD-1 alone or anti-PD-1 plus becotatug vedotin every 21 days for up to two years, with regular safety checks and tumor assessments. Primary endpoint is investigator-reviewed progression-free survival; secondary endpoints include overall survival, objective response rate, duration of response, and safety. Biomarker samples will be collected with consent to explore correlations with outcomes.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the combination could prolong progression-free and overall survival for high-risk NPC patients receiving maintenance therapy.

How similar studies have gone: Early-phase data suggest higher response rates with ADCs plus PD-1 inhibitors in NPC, supporting this approach, though definitive Phase III results are needed.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Aged between 18 and 75 years at diagnosis, regardless of gender;
* Histologically confirmed nasopharyngeal carcinoma;
* Patients with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma with confirmed distant metastasis (Stage IVb per AJCC 8th edition; Stage IV per AJCC 9th edition), or recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma unsuitable for locoregional or curative therapy;
* Achieved stable disease (SD) assessed per RECIST v1.1 or maintained positive plasma EBV DNA after 4 to 6 cycles of first-line chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy;
* Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0 or 1;
* Expected survival of at least 12 weeks;
* No prior systemic chemotherapy administered within 6 months before diagnosis (excluding patients with disease progression more than 6 months after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, adjuvant chemotherapy, or definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy);
* At least one measurable lesion as defined by RECIST v1.1;
* Adequate organ and bone marrow function as defined below:

  1. HGB ≥90 g/L, WBC ≥4×10⁹/L, PLT ≥100×10⁹/L.
  2. Liver function: TBIL \<1.5 × ULN; ALT and/or AST \<2.5 × ULN. For patients with liver metastases, ALT or AST \<5 × ULN. For patients with liver or bone metastases, ALP \<5 × ULN.
  3. Renal function: creatinine \<1.5 × ULN.
  4. Coagulation: INR of PT / PTT \<1.5 × ULN;
* Able to provide written informed consent and comply with all protocol-specified procedures including laboratory tests and follow-up visits;
* Female subjects of childbearing potential and male subjects with childbearing potential partners must agree to use effective contraception from screening through 6 months after the last dose of study treatment (e.g., condoms, regular oral contraceptives as prescribed).

Exclusion Criteria:

* Peripheral neuropathy ≥ Grade 2 (per NCI-CTCAE v5.0);
* History of hypersensitivity to any study drug;
* Expected survival less than 3 months;
* Active hepatitis B (positive HBsAg or HBcAb with HBV DNA ≥ 2000 IU/mL) or active hepatitis C (positive HCV antibody with HCV RNA above the lower limit of quantification at the study site). For patients with normal liver function receiving antiviral therapy, eligibility shall be determined by the investigator;
* Patients with positive HIV antibody;
* Active bacterial, fungal, viral infection requiring systemic treatment, or interstitial pneumonia within 1 week prior to the first administration of study drugs;
* Received anti-tumor therapies including chemotherapy, small-molecule inhibitors, immunotherapy (e.g., interleukins, interferons, thymosins) within 4 weeks or 5 half-lives (whichever is shorter, with a minimum interval of 2 weeks) before the first dose of study drugs;
* Received anti-tumor therapies including chemotherapy, small-molecule inhibitors, immunotherapy (e.g., interleukins, interferons, thymosins) within 4 weeks or 5 half-lives (whichever is shorter, with a minimum interval of 2 weeks) before the first dose of study drugs;
* Underwent major surgery within 3 months prior to the first dose, or planned to receive major surgery during the study period;
* Severe thromboembolic events within 6 months before screening, such as cerebrovascular accidents (including transient ischemic attack) and pulmonary embolism;
* Active malignant tumors within 2 years prior to the first administration of study drugs, excluding nasopharyngeal carcinoma under investigation and any locally curable tumors that have received radical treatment (e.g., resected basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, superficial bladder cancer, cervical or breast carcinoma in situ);
* Severe cardiovascular diseases within 6 months before enrollment, including but not limited to:

  1. Acute myocardial infarction, unstable angina, coronary angioplasty or stenting, deep vein thrombosis, stroke;
  2. New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class III or IV congestive heart failure, or left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) \< 50%;
  3. Electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities of significant clinical relevance at screening as assessed by the investigator;
* Pregnant or breastfeeding women;
* Presence of any severe and/or uncontrolled diseases that, in the investigator's judgment, may interfere with the patient's participation in the study (including but not limited to uncontrolled diabetes, dialysis-dependent renal disease, severe liver disease, life-threatening autoimmune and hemorrhagic diseases, substance abuse, neurological disorders);
* Any other conditions deemed inappropriate for participation by the investigator.

Where it's running

  • Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University
    Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
    Recruiting

Study contacts

Similar studies

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How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.