Evaluating belzutifan with or without palbociclib for advanced kidney cancer

A Multicenter, Open-label, Randomized, Phase 1/2 Study of Belzutifan in Combination With Palbociclib Versus Belzutifan Monotherapy in Participants With Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma

Phase1; Phase2 Interventional Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC · NCT05468697

This study is testing if a new drug called belzutifan, alone or with another drug called palbociclib, can help people with advanced kidney cancer who haven't responded to previous treatments.

Quick facts

PhasePhase1; Phase2
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment210 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorMerck Sharp & Dohme LLC Industry-sponsored
Drugs / interventionsradiation
Locations13 sites (Washington, District of Columbia and 12 other locations)
Trial IDNCT05468697 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This study aims to assess the safety and efficacy of belzutifan alone and in combination with palbociclib in patients with advanced clear-cell renal cell carcinoma who have experienced disease progression after prior treatments. The trial is divided into two parts: the first part focuses on determining the safety and optimal dosage of the combination therapy, while the second part evaluates its effectiveness at the established dosage. Participants will be closely monitored for any adverse effects and treatment responses throughout the study.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are individuals with unresectable Stage IV clear-cell renal cell carcinoma who have progressed after at least two systemic treatments.

Not a fit: Patients with significant hypoxia, active additional malignancies, or central nervous system metastases may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could provide a new effective treatment option for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma who have limited options after disease progression.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown promising results with similar combination therapies in advanced renal cell carcinoma, indicating potential for success.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Has a histologically confirmed diagnosis of unresectable Stage IV (per American Joint Committee on Cancer \[AJCC\], 8th Edition) RCC with clear-cell component
* Has had disease progression on or after having received at least 2 systemic treatments for unresectable Stage IV RCC with prior anti-programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-1/L1) and a vascular endothelial growth factor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (VEGF-TKI) in sequence or in combination
* Has measurable disease per RECIST 1.1 as assessed by the investigator and verified by blinded independent central review (BICR)
* Has recovered from all AEs due to previous therapies

Exclusion Criteria:

* Has hypoxia, requires intermittent supplemental oxygen, or requires chronic supplemental oxygen
* Has a known additional malignancy that is progressing or has required active treatment within the past 3 years
* Has known central nervous system (CNS) metastases and/or carcinomatous meningitis
* Has clinically significant cardiac disease
* Has moderate to severe hepatic impairment
* Has a known history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
* Has a history of hepatitis B (HBV) or known active hepatitis C (HCV) infection
* Has received prior treatment of belzutifan or palbociclib
* Has received prior radiotherapy ≤2 weeks prior to first dose of study intervention. Participants must have recovered from all radiation-related toxicities and not require corticosteroids
* Has had major surgery ≤3 weeks prior to first dose of study intervention
* Has received colony-stimulating factors (eg, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor \[G-CSF\], granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor \[GM-CSF\], or recombinant erythropoietin \[EPO\]) ≤28 days prior to the first dose of study intervention

Where this trial is running

Washington, District of Columbia and 12 other locations

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Renal Cell CarcinomaProgrammed cell death ligand 1Hypoxia inducible factor 2 alphaHypoxia inducible factor 2αKidney Cancer
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 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.