A Study of V940 Plus Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) Versus Placebo Plus Pembrolizumab in Participants With Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (V940-002) (INTerpath-002)

Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD)

Status and phase: Enrolling; Phase 3

Conditions: Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Treatments: Other: Placebo; Biological: V940; Biological: Pembrolizumab

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Industry

Identifiers

NCT06077760

PHRR240705-007252 (Registry Identifier)

jRCT2061240063 (Registry Identifier)

2023-504923-20 (Registry Identifier)

U1111-1290-3969 (Other Identifier)

V940-002

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this study is to evaluate V940 plus pembrolizumab versus placebo plus pembrolizumab for the adjuvant treatment of margin negative, completely resected Stage II, IIIA, IIIB (with nodal involvement [N2]) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The primary hypothesis is that V940 plus pembrolizumab is superior to placebo plus pembrolizumab with respect to disease-free survival (DFS) as assessed by the investigator.

Enrollment: 868 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:

• Has undergone margin negative, completely resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and has pathological Stage II, IIIA, IIIB (N2) squamous or nonsquamous tumor, node, metastasis (TNM) staging per American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Eighth Edition guidelines.
• Has no evidence of disease before randomization.
• Has received at least one dose of adjuvant treatment with standard of care platinum doublet chemotherapy.
• No more than 24 weeks have elapsed between surgical resection of curative intent and the first dose of pembrolizumab.
• 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 prior to randomization.
• Participants with history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are eligible if HCV viral load is undetectable at screening.
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected participants must have well controlled HIV on anti-retroviral therapy (ART).

Exclusion criteria

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

• Diagnosis of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) or, for mixed tumors, presence of small cell elements, or has a neuroendocrine tumor with large cell components or a sarcomatoid carcinoma.
• HIV-infected participants with a history of Kaposi's sarcoma and/or Multicentric Castleman's Disease.
• Received prior neoadjuvant therapy for their current NSCLC diagnosis.
• Received or is a candidate to receive radiotherapy for their current NSCLC diagnosis.
• Received prior therapy with an anti-programmed cell death 1 protein (PD-1), anti-PD-ligand 1 (L1), or anti-PD-L2 agent, or with an agent directed to another stimulatory or coinhibitory T-cell receptor.
• Received prior systemic anticancer therapy including investigational agents within 4 weeks before randomization.
• Received a live or live-attenuated vaccine within 30 days before the first dose of study intervention. Administration of killed vaccines are allowed.
• Has received an investigational agent or has used an investigational device within 4 weeks prior to study intervention administration.
• 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 to the first dose of study medication.
• Known additional malignancy that is progressing or has required active treatment within the past 5 years.
• Active autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment in the past 2 years. Replacement therapy (eg, thyroxine, insulin, or physiologic corticosteroid) is allowed.
• History of (noninfectious) pneumonitis/interstitial lung disease that required steroids or has current pneumonitis/interstitial lung disease.
• Active infection requiring systemic therapy.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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868 participants in 2 patient groups

V940 + Pembrolizumab

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will receive 1 mg of V940 via intramuscular (IM) injection once every 3 weeks for 9 doses PLUS 400 mg of pembrolizumab via intravenous (IV) infusion once every 6 weeks for up to 9 doses until disease recurrence or unacceptable toxicity or for a total treatment duration of up to approximately 1 year, whichever is sooner.

Treatment:

Biological: Pembrolizumab

Biological: V940

Placebo + Pembrolizumab

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants will receive V940-matched placebo via IM injection once every 3 weeks for 9 doses PLUS 400 mg of pembrolizumab via IV infusion once every 6 weeks for up to 9 doses until disease recurrence or unacceptable toxicity or for a total treatment duration of up to approximately 1 year, whichever is sooner.

Treatment:

Biological: Pembrolizumab

Other: Placebo