A Study of MK-6837 as a Monotherapy and Combination Therapy in Participants With Advanced/Metastatic Solid Tumors (MK-6837-001)

Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD)

Status and phase: Active, not recruiting; Phase 1

Conditions: Neoplasm Metastasis

Treatments: Biological: Pembrolizumab; Biological: MK-6837; Drug: Rescue Medications

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Industry

Identifiers

NCT06460961

6837-001

MK-6837-001 (Other Identifier)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of MK-6837, administered as a monotherapy and in combination with pembrolizumab (MK-3475), in participants with histologically or cytologically confirmed advanced/metastatic solid tumors that have not responded to conventional therapy. There will not be any hypothesis testing in the study.

As of Amendment 04 (effective date: 18-Dec-2025), there are no pharmacokinetic (PK) secondary outcome measures in this study.

Enrollment: 168 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

The main inclusion criteria include but are not limited to the following:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed solid tumor by pathology report that is advanced or metastatic
• 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 before allocation
• Participants with history of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection are eligible if HCV viral load is undetectable at screening

Exclusion criteria

The main exclusion criteria include but are not limited to the following:

• Has not recovered to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) Grade 1 or better from any Adverse Events (AEs) that were due to cancer therapeutics administered more than 4 weeks earlier
• History of a second malignancy, unless potentially curative treatment has been completed with no evidence of malignancy for 2 years
• Has clinically significant cardiovascular disease
• HIV-infected participants with a history of Kaposi's sarcoma and/or Multicentric Castleman's Disease
• Received prior systemic anticancer therapy including investigational agents within 4 weeks before the first dose of study intervention
• Has received any prior immunotherapy and was discontinued from that treatment due to a Grade 3 or higher immune-related AE (except endocrine disorders that can be treated with replacement therapy) or was discontinued from that treatment due to Grade 2 myocarditis or recurrent Grade 2 pneumonitis
• Received prior radiotherapy within 2 weeks of start of study intervention, or has radiation-related toxicities, requiring corticosteroids
• Received a live or live-attenuated vaccine within 30 days before the first dose of study intervention. Administration of killed vaccines is allowed
• Diagnosis of immunodeficiency or is receiving chronic systemic steroid therapy or any other form of immunosuppressive therapy within 7 days before the first dose of study intervention
• Known additional malignancy that is progressing or has required active treatment within the past 2 years
• Known active Central Nervous System (CNS) metastases and/or carcinomatous meningitis
• Active autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment in the past 2 years except replacement therapy
• History of (noninfectious) pneumonitis/interstitial lung disease that required steroids or has current pneumonitis/interstitial lung disease
• Active infection requiring systemic therapy
• History of allogeneic tissue/solid organ transplant
• Participants who have not adequately recovered from major surgery or have ongoing surgical complications

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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168 participants in 2 patient groups

Arm 1: MK-6837 Monotherapy

Experimental group

Description:

Participants receive escalating doses of MK-6837 via intravenous (IV) infusion once every 3 weeks (Q3W) (Day 1 of every 21-day cycle) until progressive disease or discontinuation.

Treatment:

Drug: Rescue Medications

Biological: MK-6837

Arm 2: MK-6837 + Pembrolizumab Combination Therapy

Experimental group

Description:

Participants receive escalating doses of MK-6837 via IV infusion Q3W (Day 1 of every 21-day cycle) until progressive disease or discontinuation PLUS 200mg of pembrolizumab via IV infusion Q3W (Day 1 of every 21-day cycle) for up to 35 administrations (up to \~2 years).

Treatment:

Drug: Rescue Medications

Biological: MK-6837

Biological: Pembrolizumab