Sponsor: Thomas Jefferson University (other)
Phase: 2
Start date: July 5, 2023
Planned enrollment: 70
Fianlimab (REGN3767) is an investigational, fully human monoclonal antibody targeting LAG-3 being developed primarily in combination with the PD‑1 inhibitor cemiplimab for melanoma and other solid tumors. Multiple phase 3 trials are ongoing in advanced and adjuvant melanoma and in first-line non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); no phase 3 efficacy results have been reported as of October 7, 2025. (ascopubs.org)
Advanced melanoma (phase 1, multicohort; fianlimab 1600 mg Q3W + cemiplimab 350 mg Q3W) - PD‑1–naïve advanced disease: ORR 63% in two independent cohorts (n=40 each); combined across three cohorts without prior anti‑PD‑1 for advanced disease (n=98), ORR 61.2% with median PFS 13.3 months (95% CI, 7.5–NE). CR rates were 12–15% across PD‑1–naïve cohorts. (ascopubs.org) - Prior anti‑PD‑1 in the adjuvant setting (relapse after adjuvant therapy; n=13 within a cohort of n=18): ORR 61.5% and median PFS 12 months (95% CI, 1.4–NE). (ascopubs.org) - Prior anti‑PD‑1 for advanced disease (n=15): ORR 13.3% and median PFS 1.5 months (95% CI, 1.3–7.7). (ascopubs.org) - Post hoc/independent review updates: In a combined analysis of PD‑1–naïve cohorts (n=98) with longer follow‑up, ORR 57% by BICR (CR 25%, PR 33%) was reported, with activity observed irrespective of baseline LAG‑3 or PD‑L1 expression. (onclive.com)
Ongoing phase 3 melanoma trials (no results yet) - First‑line unresectable/metastatic melanoma: fianlimab + cemiplimab versus pembrolizumab; primary endpoint PFS; estimated sample size ~1,500+. (ascopubs.org) - Adjuvant high‑risk resected melanoma: fianlimab + cemiplimab versus pembrolizumab (double‑blind, three‑arm design). (ascopubs.org) - Additional phase 3 head‑to‑head versus relatlimab+nivolumab is enrolling. (yalemedicine.org)
NSCLC (ongoing; no results yet) - Two randomized phase 2/3 trials: (1) PD‑L1 ≥50% tumors—fianlimab + cemiplimab versus cemiplimab; (2) all‑comers with chemotherapy—fianlimab + cemiplimab + chemotherapy versus cemiplimab + chemotherapy. (ascopubs.org)
Across the melanoma phase 1 cohorts of fianlimab + cemiplimab: - Grade ≥3 treatment‑emergent AEs occurred in 44% of patients; grade ≥3 treatment‑related AEs in 22%. An increased incidence of adrenal insufficiency was noted (any‑grade 12%, grade 3–4 4%) relative to typical PD‑1 monotherapy experience; otherwise, the safety profile was broadly comparable to PD‑1 inhibitors. Common AEs included fatigue and rash. (ascopubs.org)
Notes: Efficacy figures above derive from early‑phase studies; confirmatory phase 3 outcomes are pending as of October 7, 2025. (ascopubs.org)
Last updated: Oct 2025
Goal: To evaluate whether neoadjuvant immune checkpoint blockade can shrink locally advanced basal cell carcinoma of the head and neck before surgery and increase the likelihood of functional organ preservation. The study is assessing cemiplimab alone and cemiplimab plus fianlimab in the presurgical setting, with a focus on clinical/radiographic response, disease control, pathologic response, safety, quality of life, and whether surgery can be de-escalated to preserve critical head and neck structures.
Patients: Adults with pathologically confirmed locally advanced basal cell carcinoma of the head and neck for whom standard resection would be unresectable or associated with major morbidity, such as substantial auriculectomy, rhinectomy, lip resection, orbital exenteration, facial nerve sacrifice, or Brigham and Women’s stage 2b or 3 disease. Eligible patients must have ECOG performance status 0–1, adequate organ function, life expectancy of at least 6 months, and no prior anti-PD-1 therapy or hedgehog inhibitor therapy for malignancy treatment. Key exclusions include recent radiation to the target cancer, significant immunosuppression, active infection including active HBV/HCV/HIV as specified, pregnancy or breastfeeding, untreated active brain metastases, recent live vaccine, prior pneumonitis within 5 years, and uncontrolled intercurrent illness.
Design: This is a non-randomized, two-cohort phase 2 neoadjuvant study. Enrollment to the cemiplimab monotherapy cohort occurs first, followed by enrollment to the cemiplimab plus fianlimab cohort. Patients are assessed clinically every 3 weeks before each cycle and radiographically every 6 weeks. Patients receive at least 2 cycles before planned surgery and may receive up to 6 total cycles depending on response. Patients with progression or more than minimal growth may proceed directly to surgery or other standard therapy, while those with complete clinical response undergo surgery or biopsy of the tumor site to confirm pathologic response.
Treatments: Cohort 1 receives cemiplimab 350 mg IV every 3 weeks for a minimum of 2 cycles and up to 6 cycles before surgery, depending on response. Cemiplimab is an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody already used in advanced cutaneous malignancies, including basal cell carcinoma after hedgehog inhibitor therapy, and works by blocking PD-1-mediated T-cell inhibition to enhance antitumor immunity. Cohort 2 receives cemiplimab 350 mg plus fianlimab 1600 mg IV every 3 weeks, either sequentially/co-administered or as a fixed-dose combination infusion, for a minimum of 2 and up to 6 cycles before surgery. Fianlimab is a fully human IgG4 monoclonal antibody targeting LAG-3, an inhibitory immune checkpoint on activated T cells; blockade of LAG-3 is intended to augment T-cell function, particularly in combination with PD-1 inhibition. The most mature clinical data for fianlimab plus cemiplimab are in advanced melanoma, where early-phase studies in anti-PD-1–naïve patients have reported objective response rates around 60%, with a toxicity profile broadly similar to PD-1 blockade but with notable adrenal insufficiency risk.
Outcomes: The primary endpoints are objective response rate and disease control rate, assessed by clinical evaluation and RECIST v1.1 through surgery and up to 6 months postoperatively. Secondary endpoints include surgical/clinical benefit rate, defined by tumor response enabling functional organ preservation surgery; pathologic complete response; major pathologic response; adverse events graded by CTCAE v5.0; and longitudinal quality-of-life and functional outcomes using FHNSI, FACE-Q, and VFQ-25 instruments. Exploratory analyses include paired tumor and blood correlative studies evaluating histology, tumor genetics, and immune microenvironment changes, including immune cell composition before and after therapy.
Burden on patient: The overall patient burden is moderate to moderately high. Treatment requires IV infusions every 3 weeks for at least 2 cycles and potentially up to 6 cycles before surgery, with surgeon assessments at each cycle and CT or MRI imaging approximately every 6 weeks. Patients also undergo screening and on-treatment biopsies, serial blood collection for correlative studies, quality-of-life questionnaires, and definitive surgery or biopsy confirmation in cases of clinical complete response. The burden is higher than routine surgery alone because of repeated neoadjuvant visits, imaging, biopsies, and immunotherapy monitoring, but it is lower than many intensive phase 1 studies because there is no indication of frequent pharmacokinetic sampling or inpatient treatment requirements.
Last updated: May 2026
Inclusion Criteria:
-Individuals must meet all of the following inclusion criteria in order to be eligible to participate in the study:
1. Pathologically confirmed, locally-advanced BCC of the head and neck of any stage which is not resectable without major morbidity or unresectable, defined as requiring greater than 30% auriculectomy, rhinectomy, upper or lower lip resection, orbital exenteration (due to lid or orbital involvement), facial nerve sacrifice, or any Brigham and Women's stage 2b or 3 disease of head and neck (see Table 5).
2. Male or female, aged ≥18 years of age
3. Performance status 0-1.
4. Must have a life expectancy of at least 6 months as judged by the treating physician.
5. Adequate organ function:
1. Absolute neutrophil count 1500/μl or more;
2. Platelets 100,000/μl or more,
3. Hemoglobin 9 g/dl or more;
4. Bilirubin less than or equal to 1.5 x the upper limit of normal (except subjects with Gilbert syndrome, who can have total bilirubin \<3 mg/dl);
5. AST and ALT less than or equal to 2.5 x the upper limit of normal,
6. GFR greater than or equal to 40 ml/min using the Cockcroft-Gault formula or measured creatinine clearance using 24 hours urine collection
6. Women of reproductive potential should have a negative serum or urine pregnancy test (minimum sensitivity 25 IU/L or equivalent units of HCG), which must also be confirmed as negative within 28 days of the start of study drugs.
7. Women of reproductive potential must use highly effective contraception methods to avoid pregnancy for 120 days after the last dose of study drugs. "Women of reproductive potential" is defined as any female who has experienced menarche and who has not undergone surgical sterilization (hysterectomy or bilateral oophorectomy) or who is not postmenopausal. Menopause is defined clinically as 12 months of amenorrhea in a woman over 45 in the absence of other biological or physiological causes. In addition, women under the age of 55 must have a documented serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) level less than 40 mIU/mL.
8. Men of reproductive potential who are sexually active with women of reproductive potential must use any contraceptive method with a failure rate of less than 1% per year. Men who are receiving the study medications will be instructed to adhere to contraception for 120 days after the last dose of study drugs. Men who are azoospermic do not require contraception.
9. Informed Consent: All subjects must be able to comprehend and sign a written informed consent document.
Exclusion Criteria:
An individual who meets any of the following criteria will be excluded from participation in this study:
1. Prior radiation therapy within the past 6 months for this target cancer documented by surgeon at Visit 1, Day 0 initial assessment. (Prior surgical resection to area/tumor is acceptable.)
2. Any history of allergy to the study drug components.
3. Any concurrent malignancies: exceptions include- basal cell carcinoma of the skin at another site, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, melanoma in situ, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin of a secondary location, superficial bladder cancer or in situ cervical cancer that has undergone potentially curative therapy. Patients with a history of other prior malignancy must have been treated with curative intent and must have remained disease-free for 2 years post-diagnosis.
4. Any unresolved toxicity NCI CTCAE v 5.0 Grade ≥2 from previous anticancer therapy with the exception of alopecia, vitiligo, and the laboratory values defined in the inclusion criteria. Patients with Grade ≥2 neuropathy will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis after consultation with the Study Physician. Patients with irreversible toxicity not reasonably expected to be exacerbated by treatment with anti-PD1 therapy may be included only after consultation with the Study Physician.
5. Any Subjects with a condition requiring systemic treatment with either corticosteroids (\> 10 mg daily prednisone equivalents) or other immunosuppressive medications within 28 days of study drug administration., or a prior history of allogenic organ transplantation.
6. Any diagnosis of a significant connective tissue disorder as determined by the treating surgeon or medical team.
7. Patients must not be receiving any other investigational agents.
8. Receipt of a live attenuated vaccine within 30 days prior to the first dose of drug on trial.
9. Uncontrolled intercurrent illness, including but not limited to, ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, uncontrolled hypertension, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, interstitial lung disease, serious chronic gastrointestinal conditions associated with diarrhea, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirement, substantially increase risk of incurring AEs or compromise the ability of the patient to give written informed consent.
10. Patients must not be pregnant or breastfeeding.
11. Active infection including tuberculosis (clinical evaluation that includes clinical history, physical examination and radiographic findings, and TB testing in line with local practice), hepatitis B (known positive HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) result), hepatitis C, or human immunodeficiency virus (positive HIV 1/2 antibodies). Patients with a past or resolved HBV infection (defined as the presence of hepatitis B core antibody \[anti-HBc\]and absence of HBsAg) are eligible. Patients positive for hepatitis C (HCV)antibody are eligible only if polymerase chain reaction is negative for HCVRNA.
12. Any patient with prior immunotherapy or HHI for malignancy treatment.
13. Any untreated metastasis(es) to the brain that may be considered active.
14. History of pneumonitis with the past 5 years.
Miami, Florida, 33136, United States
No email / No phone
Status: Recruiting
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19107, United States
[email protected] / 215-955-6760
Status: Recruiting
Nashville, Tennessee, 37232, United States
No email / No phone
Status: Recruiting