Comparing two treatments for relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Official title: A Phase 3, Open-label, Randomized Study to Compare the Efficacy and Safety of Nemtabrutinib (MK-1026) Plus Venetoclax Versus Venetoclax Plus Rituximab in Participants With Relapsed/Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma Following at Least 1 Prior Therapy (BELLWAVE-010)
Run by Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC · NCT05947851 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing if a new combination of two drugs, nemtabrutinib and venetoclax, can help people with relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia live longer without their cancer getting worse compared to the usual treatment.
Quick facts
| Phase | Phase 3 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 735 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC Industry-sponsored |
| Drugs / interventions | Rituximab, Nemtabrutinib, radiation |
| Locations | 106 sites (Springdale, Arkansas and 105 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | August 8, 2023 |
| Main results expected | June 1, 2032 |
| Study ends | July 1, 2035 |
| Registry record updated | November 6, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT05947851 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are individuals with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma who have previously received at least one therapy.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients who are not relapsed or refractory or those with a life expectancy of less than three months 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 safety and effectiveness of nemtabrutinib combined with venetoclax compared to the standard treatment of venetoclax plus rituximab in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma. The primary goal is to determine if the new combination improves progression-free survival as assessed by independent reviewers. Participants must have a confirmed diagnosis and meet specific health criteria to be eligible for the trial.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this treatment could offer a more effective option for patients with relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
How similar studies have gone: Other studies have shown promising results with similar treatment combinations in chronic lymphocytic leukemia, indicating potential for success.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Confirmed diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) and active disease clearly documented to initiate therapy * Deletion (Del) (17p) status, tumor protein 53 (TP53) mutation status, and immunoglobulin heavy chain gene (IGHV) mutation status results required before randomization for Part 2 participants only * Relapsed or refractory to at least 1 prior available therapy * Have at least 1 marker of disease burden * Has an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 to 2 within 7 days before randomization * Has a life expectancy of at least 3 months * Has the ability to swallow and retain oral medication * 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 deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) viral load before randomization * Participants with history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are eligible if HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA) viral load is undetectable at screening * Participants with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who meet ALL eligibility criteria * Participants with adequate organ function with specimens collected within 7 days before the start of study intervention * If capable of producing sperm, participant agrees to eliminate Nemtabrutinib: 12 days, Venetoclax: 1 month (30 days), Rituximab (rituximab biosimilar): not applicable; abstains from penile-vaginal intercourse as their preferred and usual lifestyle; OR uses prescribed contraception * Participant assigned female sex at birth are eligible to participate if not pregnant or breastfeeding and are not a person of childbearing potential (POCBP) OR is a POCBP and uses a contraceptive method that is highly effective, has a negative highly sensitive pregnancy test, and abstains from breastfeeding Exclusion Criteria: * Has an active hepatitis B virus/ hepatitis C virus (HBV/HCV) infection * Has gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction that may affect drug absorption * Has a known additional malignancy that is progressing or has required active treatment within the past 2 years * Has diagnosis of Richter Transformation or active central nervous system (CNS) involvement by CLL/SLL * Has an active infection requiring systemic therapy, such as intravenous (IV) antibiotics, during screening * HIV-infected participants with a history of Kaposi's sarcoma and/or Multicentric Castleman's Disease and/or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)-defining opportunistic infection in the past 12 months before screening * Clinically significant cardiovascular disease * Has a known allergy/sensitivity to nemtabrutinib or contraindication to venetoclax/rituximab (or rituximab biosimilar), or any of the excipients * Has history of severe bleeding disorders (eg, hemophilia) * Has received prior systemic anticancer therapy within 5 half-lives or 4 weeks (if prior therapy was a monoclonal antibody) before randomization * Has received prior B-cell lymphoma 2 inhibitor(s) (BCL2i) within ≤ 12 months before randomization or has received prior radiotherapy within 2 weeks of start of study intervention, or radiation related toxicities, requiring corticosteroids * Is currently being treated with p-glycoprotein (P-gp) substrates with a narrow therapeutic index, cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) strong or moderate inducers or CYP3A strong inhibitors. * Has received a live or live attenuated vaccine within 30 days before the first dose of study intervention * Has received an investigational agent or has used an investigational device within 4 weeks before study intervention administration * Has a known psychiatric or substance use disorder that would interfere with the participant's ability to cooperate with the requirements of the study * Participants who have not adequately recovered from major surgery or have ongoing surgical complications
Where it's running
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Highlands Oncology Group ( Site 5405)
Springdale, Arkansas, United States Recruiting -
MemorialCare Health System - Long Beach Medical Center ( Site 5421)
Long Beach, California, United States Recruiting -
Clermont Oncology Center ( Site 5430)
Clermont, Florida, United States Recruiting -
Memorial Hospital West ( Site 5410)
Pembroke Pines, Florida, United States Recruiting -
Fort Wayne Medical Oncology and Hematology ( Site 5444)
Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States Recruiting -
Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders ( Site 5439)
Bethesda, Maryland, United States Recruiting
Show 44 more locations
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Avera Cancer Institute - Marshall ( Site 5462)
Marshall, Minnesota, United States Recruiting -
Hattiesburg Clinic Hematology/Oncology ( Site 5416)
Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States Recruiting -
MidAmerica Cancer Care, LLC ( Site 5426)
Kansas City, Missouri, United States Recruiting -
Intermountain Health St. Vincent Regional Hospital - Cancer Centers of Montana ( Site 5433)
Billings, Montana, United States Recruiting -
Renown Regional Medical Center-Renown Health Medical Oncology ( Site 5434)
Reno, Nevada, United States Recruiting -
Atlantic Health System Morristown Medical Center ( Site 5445)
Morristown, New Jersey, United States Recruiting -
New York Oncology Hematology, P.C. ( Site 5453)
Albany, New York, United States Recruiting -
Oregon Health and Science University ( Site 5425)
Portland, Oregon, United States Recruiting -
Avera Cancer Institute - Aberdeen ( Site 5458)
Aberdeen, South Dakota, United States Recruiting -
Avera Cancer Institute - Mitchell ( Site 5461)
Mitchell, South Dakota, United States Recruiting -
Avera Cancer Institute - Pierre ( Site 5460)
Pierre, South Dakota, United States Recruiting -
Avera Cancer Institute- Research ( Site 5437)
Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States Recruiting -
Avera Cancer Institute - Yankton ( Site 5459)
Yankton, South Dakota, United States Recruiting -
PatientCare Clinical Research LLC ( Site 5435)
Sugar Land, Texas, United States Recruiting -
University of Virginia Cancer Center ( Site 5402)
Charlottesville, Virginia, United States Recruiting -
Vista Oncology ( Site 5449)
Olympia, Washington, United States Recruiting -
Medical Oncology Associates, PS ( Site 5406)
Spokane, Washington, United States Recruiting -
West Virginia University ( Site 5447)
Morgantown, West Virginia, United States Recruiting -
Instituto Alexander Fleming ( Site 1005)
Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina Recruiting -
Instituto de Investigaciones Clínicas Mar del Plata ( Site 1007)
Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina Recruiting -
Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas (CEMIC)-Hematology ( Site 1002)
Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires F.D., Argentina Recruiting -
Sanatorio Parque ( Site 1003)
Rosario, Santa Fe Province, Argentina Recruiting -
Centro Medico Fleischer ( Site 1006)
Buenos Aires, Argentina Recruiting -
Hospital Aleman-oncohematologic diseases ( Site 1001)
Buenos Aires, Argentina Recruiting -
Royal Adelaide Hospital ( Site 1104)
Adelaide, South Australia, Australia Recruiting -
Box Hill Hospital ( Site 1106)
Box Hill, Victoria, Australia Recruiting -
Western Health-Sunshine & Footscray Hospitals-Cancer Services-Cancer Research ( Site 1103)
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Recruiting -
UZ Leuven-Hematology ( Site 1200)
Leuven, Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium Recruiting -
ZAS Cadix ( Site 1203)
Antwerp, Belgium Recruiting -
Hospital Amaral Carvalho-Centro de Pesquisas ( Site 1304)
Jaú, São Paulo, Brazil Recruiting -
Hospital Paulistano-Americas Oncologia ( Site 1302)
São Paulo, Brazil Recruiting -
The Moncton Hospital ( Site 1414)
Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada Recruiting -
Kingston Health Sciences Centre-Kingston General Hospital Site ( Site 1416)
Kingston, Ontario, Canada Recruiting -
Centre Intégré de Santé et de Services Sociaux de la Montérégie-Centre ( Site 1402)
Greenfield Park, Quebec, Canada Recruiting -
Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l'Estrie - Centre Hospitalier Univer ( Site 1410)
Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada Recruiting -
Biocenter ( Site 1507)
Concepción, Biobio, Chile Recruiting -
IC La Serena Research ( Site 1506)
La Serena, Coquimbo Region, Chile Recruiting -
Centro de Estudios Clínicos SAGA-CECSAGA ( Site 1509)
Santiago, Region M. de Santiago, Chile Recruiting -
FALP-UIDO ( Site 1500)
Santiago, Region M. de Santiago, Chile Recruiting -
Clínica Inmunocel ( Site 1511)
Santiago, Region M. de Santiago, Chile Recruiting -
Clinica Alemana de Santiago ( Site 1514)
Santiago, Region M. de Santiago, Chile Recruiting -
Bradfordhill ( Site 1512)
Santiago, Region M. de Santiago, Chile Recruiting -
Fundacion Colombiana de Cancerología Clinica Vida ( Site 1707)
Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia Recruiting -
Fundación Valle del Lili ( Site 1703)
Cali, Valle del Cauca Department, Colombia Recruiting
+56 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
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Nemtabrutinib plus rituximab for marginal zone lymphoma
This phase 2 trial tests whether combining nemtabrutinib with rituximab can help people with marginal zone lymphoma.
-
Rocbrutinib versus pirtobrutinib for adults with relapsed or refractory CLL/SLL after a covalent BTK inhibitor
This compares rocbrutinib and pirtobrutinib to see which works better and is safer for adults whose CLL or SLL returned or didn't respond after a covalent BTK inhibitor.
-
Anti‑CD19 CAR‑T plus a BTK inhibitor for newly diagnosed high‑risk CLL/SLL
We will try combining anti‑CD19 CAR‑T cells with a BTK inhibitor as first‑line treatment for people newly diagnosed with high‑risk CLL or SLL.
-
Epcoritamab given after 2nd-generation BTK inhibitors for CLL/SLL
This trial will try giving subcutaneous epcoritamab for up to 12 cycles to adults with CLL/SLL who have been on a second‑generation BTK inhibitor for at least 12 months to see if it can deepen responses to a complete remission with undetectable MRD so therapy can be stopped.
-
Comparing BGB-16673 to standard treatments for chronic lymphocytic leukemia
This study is testing a new treatment called BGB-16673 to see if it works better than standard options for people with chronic lymphocytic leukemia who have already tried other therapies.
-
Combining nemtabrutinib and rituximab to treat mantle cell lymphoma
This study is testing if combining two treatments, nemtabrutinib and rituximab, can help people with newly diagnosed mantle cell lymphoma feel better and live longer.
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.