Study of Pemetrexed+Platinum Chemotherapy With or Without Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) in Participants With First Line Metastatic Nonsquamous Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (MK-3475-189/KEYNOTE-189)-Japan Extension Study

A Randomized, Double-Blind, Phase III Study of Platinum+Pemetrexed Chemotherapy With or Without Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) in First Line Metastatic Non-squamous Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Subjects (KEYNOTE-189)

This is a Japan Extension Study of Global Study MK-3475-189 (NCT02578680). This is an efficacy and safety study of pembrolizumab (MK-3475) combined with pemetrexed/platinum chemotherapy versus pemetrexed/platinum chemotherapy alone in adult Japanese participants with advanced or metastatic nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have not previously received systemic therapy for advanced disease. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive pembrolizumab combined with pemetrexed/platinum (Investigators choice of cisplatin or carboplatin), OR pemetrexed/platinum (Investigators choice of cisplatin or carboplatin).

With Amendment 11 (effective date 31-Jan-2022), once the study objectives have been met or the study has ended, participants will be discontinued from this study and will be enrolled in an extension study to continue protocol-defined assessments and treatment.

The primary hypothesis is that pembrolizumab in combination with pemetrexed/platinum chemotherapy prolongs Progression-Free Survival (PFS) and Overall Survival (OS) compared to pemetrexed/platinum chemotherapy alone.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Non-Small-Cell Lung Carcinoma
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Carboplatin; Drug: Pemetrexed; Drug: Cisplatin; Biological: Pembrolizumab 200 mg; Dietary supplement: Folic acid 350-1000 μg; Dietary supplement: Vitamin B12 1000 μg; Drug: Dexamethasone 4 mg; Drug: Saline solution

Detailed Description

The MK-3475-189-Japan Extension Study will be identical to the global study (e.g. inclusion and exclusion criteria, study primary and secondary outcome measures and study procedures).

The MK-3475-189-Japanese Extension Study enrolled a total of 30 participants and the analyses included 10 participants (pembrolizumab =4; control = 6) that had been previously enrolled in the MK-3475-189 global study (NCT02578680), resulting in a total of 40 participants.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 40
• Phase: Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Japan
  • Matsuyama, Japan, 791-0280
    • National Hospital Organization Shikoku Cancer Center ( Site 0303)
  • Okayama, Japan, 700-8558
    • Okayama University Hospital ( Site 0327)
  • Tokyo, Japan, 104-0045
    • National Cancer Center Hospital ( Site 0301)
  • Tokyo, Japan, 135-8550
    • The Cancer Institute Hospital of JFCR ( Site 0323)
  • Aichi
    • Nagoya, Aichi, Japan, 460-0001
      • National Hospital Organization Nagoya Medical Center ( Site 0324)
  • Fukuoka
    • Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan, 830-0011
      • Kurume University Hospital ( Site 0326)
  • Hyogo
    • Akashi, Hyogo, Japan, 673-8558
      • Hyogo Cancer Center ( Site 0325)
  • Ishikawa
    • Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan, 920-8641
      • Kanazawa University Hospital ( Site 0328)
  • Osaka
    • Hirakata, Osaka, Japan, 573-1191
      • Kansai Medical University Hospital ( Site 0313)
  • Shizuoka
    • Sunto-gun, Shizuoka, Japan, 411-8777
      • Shizuoka Cancer Center Hospital and Research Institute ( Site 0322)

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Has a histologically-confirmed or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of stage IV nonsquamous NSCLC.
• Has confirmation that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-directed therapy is not indicated.
• Has measurable disease.
• Has not received prior systemic treatment for their advanced/metastatic NSCLC.
• Can provide tumor tissue.
• Has a life expectancy of at least 3 months.
• Has a performance status of 0 or 1 on the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status.
• Has adequate organ function
• If female of childbearing potential, is willing to use adequate contraception for the course of the study through 120 days after the last dose of study medication or through 180 days after last dose of chemotherapeutic agents.
• If male with a female partner(s) of child-bearing potential, must agree to use adequate contraception starting with the first dose of study medication through 120 days after the last dose of study medication or through 180 days after last dose of chemotherapeutic agents.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Has predominantly squamous cell histology NSCLC.
• Is currently participating and receiving study therapy or has participated in a study of an investigational agent and received study therapy or used an investigational device within 4 weeks prior to administration of pembrolizumab.
• Before the first dose of study medication: a) Has received prior systemic cytotoxic chemotherapy for metastatic disease, b) Has received antineoplastic biological therapy (e.g. erlotinib, crizotinib, cetuximab), c) Had major surgery (<3 weeks prior to first dose)
• Received radiation therapy to the lung that is >30 Gray (Gy) within 6 months of the first dose of study medication.
• Completed palliative radiotherapy within 7 days of the first dose of study medication.
• Is expected to require any other form of antineoplastic therapy while on study.
• Received a live-virus vaccination within 30 days of planned start of study medication.
• Has clinically active diverticulitis, intra-abdominal abscess, gastrointestinal obstruction, peritoneal carcinomatosis.
• Known history of prior malignancy except if participant has undergone potentially curative therapy with no evidence of that disease recurrence for 5 years since initiation of that therapy, except for successful definitive resection of basal cell carcinoma of the skin, superficial bladder cancer, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, in situ cervical cancer, or other in situ cancers.
• Has known active central nervous system (CNS) metastases and/or carcinomatous meningitis.
• Previously had a severe hypersensitivity reaction to treatment with another monoclonal antibody (mAb).
• Known sensitivity to any component of cisplatin, carboplatin or pemetrexed.
• Has active autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment in past 2 years.
• Is on chronic systemic steroids.
• Is unable to interrupt aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), other than an aspirin dose ≤1.3 g per day, for a 5-day period (8-day period for long-acting agents, such as piroxicam).
• Is unable or unwilling to take folic acid or vitamin B12 supplementation.
• Had prior treatment with any other anti-programmed cell death-1 (PD-1), or PD-ligand 1 (PD-L1) or PD-L2 agent or an antibody targeting other immuno-regulatory receptors or mechanisms. Has participated in any other pembrolizumab study and has been treated with pembrolizumab.
• Has an active infection requiring therapy.
• Has known history of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
• Has known active Hepatitis B or C.
• Has known psychiatric or substance abuse disorder that would interfere with cooperation with the requirements of the trial.
• Is a regular user (including "recreational use") of any illicit drugs or had a recent history (within the last year) of substance abuse (including alcohol).
• Has symptomatic ascites or pleural effusion.
• Has a history of (non-infectious) pneumonitis that required steroids or current pneumonitis.
• Is pregnant or breastfeeding, or expecting to conceive or father children within the projected duration of the study.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Triple

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Pembrolizumab with Pemetrexed and Platinum Chemotherapy Followed by Pembrolizumab and Pemetrexed; Participants receive pembrolizumab 200 mg intravenously (IV) PLUS pemetrexed 500 mg/m^2 IV (with vitamin supplementation) PLUS cisplatin 75 mg/m^2 IV OR carboplatin Area Under the Curve (AUC) 5 IV on Day 1 of every 3-week cycle (Q3W) for 4 cycles followed by pembrolizumab 200 mg IV PLUS pemetrexed 500 mg/m^2 IV Q3W until progression. Participants who receive pembrolizumab 200 mg IV Q3W for up to 2 years, but experience disease progression, are eligible to receive a second course of pembrolizumab monotherapy 200 mg IV Q3W, at the investigator's discretion, for up to another year.	Drug: Carboplatin; IV infusion; Drug: Pemetrexed; IV infusion; Drug: Cisplatin; IV infusion; Biological: Pembrolizumab 200 mg; IV infusion; Dietary supplement: Folic acid 350-1000 μg; Orally; at least 5 doses of folic acid must be taken during the 7 days preceding the first dose of pemetrexed, and folic acid dosing must continue during the full course of therapy and for 21 days after the last dose of pemetrexed.; Dietary supplement: Vitamin B12 1000 μg; Intramuscular injection in the week preceding the first dose of pemetrexed and once every 3 cycles thereafter. Subsequent vitamin B12 injections may be given the same day as pemetrexed administration.; Drug: Dexamethasone 4 mg; For prophylaxis; orally twice per day (or equivalent). Taken the day before, day of, and day after pemetrexed administration.
Active Comparator: Placebo with Pemetrexed and Platinum Chemotherapy Followed by Placebo and Pemetrexed; Participants receive saline placebo IV PLUS pemetrexed 500 mg/m^2 IV (with vitamin supplementation) PLUS cisplatin 75 mg/m^2 IV OR carboplatin AUC 5 IV on Day 1 of every 3-week cycle (Q3W) for 4 cycles followed by saline placebo IV PLUS pemetrexed 500 mg/m^2 IV Q3W until progression. Participants who receive saline placebo, but experience disease progression, can switch over to pembrolizumab monotherapy 200 mg IV Q3W, at the investigator's discretion, for up to 2 years. The participants who switch over to pembrolizumab 200 mg IV Q3W, but experience disease progression, are eligible to receive a second course of pembrolizumab monotherapy 200 mg IV Q3W, at the investigator's discretion, for up to another year.	Drug: Carboplatin; IV infusion; Drug: Pemetrexed; IV infusion; Drug: Cisplatin; IV infusion; Dietary supplement: Folic acid 350-1000 μg; Orally; at least 5 doses of folic acid must be taken during the 7 days preceding the first dose of pemetrexed, and folic acid dosing must continue during the full course of therapy and for 21 days after the last dose of pemetrexed.; Dietary supplement: Vitamin B12 1000 μg; Intramuscular injection in the week preceding the first dose of pemetrexed and once every 3 cycles thereafter. Subsequent vitamin B12 injections may be given the same day as pemetrexed administration.; Drug: Dexamethasone 4 mg; For prophylaxis; orally twice per day (or equivalent). Taken the day before, day of, and day after pemetrexed administration.; Drug: Saline solution; IV infusion

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Progression-Free Survival (PFS) Per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1 as Assessed by Blinded Central Imaging	PFS was defined as the time from randomization to the first documented progressive disease (PD) or death due to any cause, whichever occurred first. Per RECIST 1.1, PD was defined as ≥20% increase in the sum of diameters of target lesions, taking as reference the smallest sum on study. In addition to the relative increase of 20%, the sum must also demonstrate an absolute increase of ≥5 mm. Note: The appearance of one or more new lesions was also considered PD. The PFS per RECIST 1.1 is presented.	Up to approximately 31 months
Overall Survival (OS)	OS was defined as the time from randomization to death due to any cause. Participants without documented death at the time of the analysis were censored at the date of the last follow-up. The OS is presented.	Up to approximately 31 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Overall Response Rate (ORR) Per RECIST 1.1 as Assessed by Blinded Central Imaging	ORR was defined as the percentage of participants in the analysis population who had a Complete Response (CR: Disappearance of all target lesions) or a Partial Response (PR: ≥30% decrease in the sum of diameters of target lesions, taking as reference the baseline sum diameters) per RECIST 1.1. The percentage of participants who experienced a CR or PR is presented.	Up to approximately 31 months
Duration of Response (DOR) Per RECIST 1.1 as Assessed by Blinded Central Imaging	For participants who demonstrated a confirmed CR (disappearance of all target lesions) or PR (≥30% decrease in the sum of diameters of target lesions) per RECIST 1.1, DOR was defined as the time from first documented evidence of a CR or PR until PD or death. DOR for participants who had not progressed or died at the time of analysis was censored at the date of their last tumor assessment. Per RECIST 1.1, PD was defined as ≥20% increase in the sum of diameters of target lesions. In addition to the relative increase of 20%, the sum must also have demonstrated an absolute increase of ≥5 mm. Note: The appearance of one or more new lesions was also considered PD. DOR assessments were based on blinded central imaging review with confirmation. The DOR per RECIST 1.1 for all participants who experienced a confirmed CR or PR is presented.	Up to approximately 31 months
Number of Participants Who Experienced an Adverse Event (AE)	An adverse event was defined as any untoward medical occurrence in a clinical study participant administered a pharmaceutical product which did not necessarily have a causal relationship with this treatment. An adverse event was any unfavourable and unintended sign (including an abnormal laboratory finding, for example), symptom, or disease temporally associated with the use of a medicinal product or protocol-specified procedure, whether or not considered related to the medicinal product or protocol-specified procedure. Any worsening (i.e., any clinically significant adverse change in frequency and/or intensity) of a preexisting condition that was temporally associated with the use of the study drug was also an adverse event. Per protocol, final analysis for this outcome measure was performed for the first course of pembrolizumab or placebo treatment. The number of participants who experienced an AE is reported.	Up to approximately 24 months
Number of Participants Who Discontinued Any Study Drug Due to an AE	An adverse event was defined as any untoward medical occurrence in a clinical study participant administered a pharmaceutical product which did not necessarily have a causal relationship with this treatment. An adverse event was any unfavourable and unintended sign (including an abnormal laboratory finding, for example), symptom, or disease temporally associated with the use of a medicinal product or protocol-specified procedure, whether or not considered related to the medicinal product or protocol-specified procedure. Any worsening (i.e., any clinically significant adverse change in frequency and/or intensity) of a preexisting condition that was temporally associated with the use of the study drug was also an adverse event. Per protocol, final analysis for this outcome measure was performed for the first course of pembrolizumab or placebo treatment. The number of participants who discontinued study treatment due to an AE is presented.	Up to approximately 21 months

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Progression-Free Survival (PFS) as Assessed by Investigator Immune-related RECIST (irRECIST) Response Criteria	PFS was defined as the time from randomization to the first documented immune-related progressive disease (irPD) or death due to any cause, whichever occurred first. Per irRECIST, irPD was confirmed if any of the following are observed in 2 scans performed at least 4 weeks apart: target lesion sum of diameters remains ≥20 % and at least 5 mm absolute increase compared to nadir; non-target disease resulting in initial PD is qualitatively worse; new lesion resulting in initial irPD is qualitatively worse; additional new lesion(s) since last evaluation; or additional new non-target lesion progression since last evaluation. The PFS per irRECIST 1.1 is presented.	Up to approximately 31 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
• Investigators: Study Director: Medical Director, Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Rolfo C, Hess LM, Jen MH, Peterson P, Li X, Liu H, Lai Y, Sugihara T, Kiiskinen U, Vickers A, Summers Y. External control cohorts for the single-arm LIBRETTO-001 trial of selpercatinib in RET+ non-small-cell lung cancer. ESMO Open. 2022 Aug;7(4):100551. doi: 10.1016/j.esmoop.2022.100551. Epub 2022 Aug 2.
• Horinouchi H, Nogami N, Saka H, Nishio M, Tokito T, Takahashi T, Kasahara K, Hattori Y, Ichihara E, Adachi N, Noguchi K, Souza F, Kurata T. Pembrolizumab plus pemetrexed-platinum for metastatic nonsquamous non-small-cell lung cancer: KEYNOTE-189 Japan Study. Cancer Sci. 2021 Aug;112(8):3255-3265. doi: 10.1111/cas.14980. Epub 2021 Jun 15.

Helpful Links

• Merck Clinical Trials Information

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 22, 2016
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 20, 2019
• Study Completion (Actual): June 22, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 13, 2019
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 13, 2019
• First Posted (Actual): May 15, 2019

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 10, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 13, 2024
• Last Verified: May 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: PD-1; PD-L1; Programmed Cell Death-1 (PD1, PD-1); Programmed Death-Ligand 1 (PDL1, PD-L1); PD1; PDL1; Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer; Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Respiratory Tract Diseases; Neoplasms; Lung Diseases; Neoplasms by Site; Respiratory Tract Neoplasms; Thoracic Neoplasms; Carcinoma, Bronchogenic; Bronchial Neoplasms; Lung Neoplasms; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Autonomic Agents; Peripheral Nervous System Agents; Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors; Enzyme Inhibitors; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Antineoplastic Agents; Antiemetics; Gastrointestinal Agents; Glucocorticoids; Hormones; Hormones, Hormone Substitutes, and Hormone Antagonists; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological; Micronutrients; Vitamins; Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors; Vitamin B Complex; Hematinics; Folic Acid Antagonists; Dexamethasone; Carboplatin; Pembrolizumab; Folic Acid; Vitamin B 12; Pemetrexed
• Other Study ID Numbers: 3475-189 Japan Extension; 163421 (Registry Identifier: JAPIC-CTI); MK-3475-189 (Other Identifier: MSD); KEYNOTE-189 (Other Identifier: Merck)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: http://engagezone.msd.com/doc/ProcedureAccessClinicalTrialData.pdf

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: Yes
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No