A Phase 3 Randomized, Open-label Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Petosemtamab Plus Pembrolizumab vs Pembrolizumab in First-line Treatment of Recurrent or Metastatic PD-L1+ Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

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Investigational drug late phase More information Active drug More information Moderate burden on patient More information

Trial Details

Sponsor: Merus N.V. (industry)

Phase: 3

Start date: Sept. 25, 2024

Planned enrollment: 500

Trial ID: NCT06525220
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More trial details at ClinicalTrials.gov More info

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Investigational Drug AI Analysis

chevron Show for: Petosemtamab (MCLA-158)

TrialFetch AI Analysis

Goal: Determine whether adding petosemtamab to first-line pembrolizumab improves survival and tumor response in recurrent or metastatic PD-L1–positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), while assessing safety.

Patients: Adults with measurable, incurable recurrent or metastatic HNSCC arising in the oropharynx, oral cavity, hypopharynx, or larynx; PD-L1 combined positive score ≥1; and ECOG performance status 0–1. Prior systemic therapy for incurable recurrent or metastatic disease is not permitted. Prior anti–PD-(L)1 therapy is excluded, as is prior anti-EGFR therapy except cetuximab given with radiotherapy if progression occurred more than one year after its last dose.

Design: Randomized, open-label comparison of two first-line treatment arms. Objective response is assessed by blinded independent central review despite the open-label design.

Treatments: The experimental arm receives petosemtamab plus pembrolizumab; the comparator receives pembrolizumab alone, an established first-line immunotherapy option for eligible PD-L1–positive HNSCC. Petosemtamab is an investigational bispecific antibody targeting EGFR and LGR5; preclinical work suggests it can promote EGFR degradation in LGR5-positive cells and recruit immune effector cells. In a single-arm first-line phase 2 cohort, the combination produced investigator-assessed responses in 27 of 43 evaluable patients (63%), but its added benefit over pembrolizumab alone remains unproven.

Outcomes: Co-primary endpoints are overall survival, followed for approximately three years, and RECIST v1.1 objective response rate by blinded independent central review, followed for approximately two years. Secondary measures include progression-free survival, duration of response, clinical benefit, investigator-assessed efficacy, treatment-emergent adverse events, patient-reported quality of life, pharmacokinetics, and anti-drug antibodies.

Burden on patient: Moderate. Participants undergo repeated treatment visits, imaging and safety assessments, and quality-of-life evaluations; pharmacokinetic sampling occurs during the first six cycles. A new tumor biopsy may be required if sufficient archival tissue is unavailable. The combination arm adds an investigational treatment and potentially more treatment-related monitoring than pembrolizumab alone, although visit and scan frequencies are not specified.

Last updated: Sep 2026

Eligibility More information

Caution: ClinicalTrials.gov appears to have newer eligibility criteria than the version saved here. Review the current criteria in ClinicalTrials.gov.

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Hat Yai, Changwat Songkhla, 90110, Thailand

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Antalya, 07025, Turkey (Türkiye)

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Ankara, 06230, Turkey (Türkiye)

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Istanbul, 34722, Turkey (Türkiye)

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Cambridge, CB20QQ, United Kingdom

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Northwood, HA62RN, United Kingdom

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London, SE19RT, United Kingdom

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Mobile, Alabama, 36607, United States

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Tyler, Texas, 75702, United States

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Plano, Texas, 75075, United States

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Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112, United States

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Blacksburg, Virginia, 24060, United States

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Norfolk, Virginia, 23502, United States

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CABA, C1125ABD, Argentina

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Gyeonggi-do, 13496, South Korea

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Orlando, Florida, 32804, United States

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