Merkel Cell CarcinomaPhase 2iPRRTNCT05583708
Phase II Study of Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy in Combination With Immunotherapy for Patients With Merkel Cell Cancer
A Phase 2 study testing Pembrolizumab and Lutetium Lu 177 dotatate in people with Merkel Cell Carcinoma, run by Weill Medical College of Cornell University at 4 sites in United States.
Trial summary
The purpose of this study is to find out what effects an immunotherapy drug, called pembrolizumab, combined with a radioactive drug, called lutetium Lu 177 dotatate (Lutathera®) have on patients with Merkel cell carcinoma. Pembrolizumab works by helping patient's immune system to fight cancer. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Merkel Cell Carcinoma
- What is being tested?
- Pembrolizumab and Lutetium Lu 177 dotatate
- Type of treatment
- Injection or infusion
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 18 participants
- Where
- 4 sitesUnited States
- Study dates
- 3 Aug 2023to Dec 2028
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Written informed consent and HIPAA authorization for release of personal health information prior to registration. NOTE: HIPAA authorization may be included in the informed consent or obtained separately.
- Male and female, age ≥ 18 years at the time of consent.
- ECOG Performance Status of 0-1 within 28 days prior to registration.
- Histological or cytological evidence of Merkel cell cancer per AJCC, 8th edition.
- Presence of somatostatin receptors by Ga-68 dotatate (or equivalent) imaging, which is a requirement for PRRT (lutetium Lu 177 dotatate [Lutathera®]). Must have at least one measurable lesion per RECIST 1.1.
- Must have progressed on treatment with an anti-PD-1/L1 mAb administered either as monotherapy or in combination with other checkpoint inhibitors or other therapies. PD-1 treatment progression is defined by meeting all of the following criteria:
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- Has received at least 2 doses of an approved anti-PD-1/L1 mAb
- Has demonstrated disease progression after anti-PD-1/L1 as defined by RECIST v1.1.
- Progressive disease has been documented within 12 weeks from the last dose of anti-PD-1/L1 mAb. Note: This determination is made by the local investigator. Once disease progression is confirmed, the initial date of disease progression documentation will be considered the date of disease progression.
- Prior cancer treatment must be completed and the subject must have recovered from all reversible acute toxic effects of the regimen (other than alopecia) to Grade ≤ 1 or baseline.
- Demonstrate adequate organ function as defined in the table below. All screening labs to be obtained within 28 days prior to registration.
- Hematological:
- Absolute Neutrophil Count (ANC): ≥ 1500/uL
- Platelets: ≥100,000/uL
- Hemoglobin (Hgb): ≥9.0g/dL or ≥5.6mmol/L
- Renal:
- Creatinine: 1.5 x ULN OR
- Measured or calculated creatinine clearance (GFR can also be used in place of creatinine or CrCl): ≥30mL/min for participant with creatinine levels >1.5 x institutional ULN
- Hepatic:
- ---Total bilirubin: ≤1.5 x ULN OR direct bilirubin ≤ULN for participants with total bilirubin levels >1.5 x ULN
- AST(SGOT) and ALT(SGPT): ≤2.5 x ULN (≤5 x ULN for participants with liver metastases)
- Coagulation:
- International normalized ratio (INR) OR prothrombin time (PT): ≤1.5 × ULN unless participant is receiving anticoagulant therapy as long as PT or aPTT is within therapeutic range of intended use of anticoagulants
- Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT): ≤1.5 × ULN unless participant is receiving anticoagulant therapy as long as PT or aPTT is within therapeutic range of intended use of anticoagulants
- Females of childbearing potential who are sexually active with a male able to father a child must have a negative serum pregnancy test within 7 days prior to registration.
- Females of childbearing potential who are sexually active with a male able to father a child must be willing to abstain from heterosexual activity or to use an effective method(s) of contraception from the time of informed consent, during the study and for 7 months after the last dose of study drug(s). Males able to father a child who are sexually active with female of childbearing potential must be willing to abstain from heterosexual activity or to use an effective method(s) of contraception from initiation of treatment, during the study and for 120 days after the last dose of study drug(s).
- Participants who are HBsAg positive are eligible if they have received HBV anti-viral therapy for at least 4 weeks and have undetectable HBV viral load prior to registration.
- Note: Participants should remain on anti-viral therapy throughout study intervention and follow local guidelines for HBV anti-viral therapy post completion of study intervention.
- Hepatitis B screening tests are not required unless:
- Known history of HBV infection
- As mandated by local health authority
- Participants with a history of HCV infection are eligible if HCV viral load is undetectable at screening.
- Note: Participants must have completed curative anti-viral therapy at least 4 weeks prior to randomization.
- Hepatitis C screening tests are not required unless:
- Known history of HCV infection
- As mandated by local health authority
- HIV-infected participants must have well-controlled HIV on anti-retroviral therapy (ART), defined as:
- Participants on ART must have a CD4+ T-cell count ≥350 cells/mm3 at the time of screening
- Participants on ART must have achieved and maintained virologic suppression defined as confirmed HIV RNA level below 50 or the LLOQ (below the limit of detection) using the locally available assay at the time of screening and for at least 12 weeks before screening
- It is advised that participants must not have had any AIDS-defining opportunistic infections within the past 12 months.
- Participants on ART must have been on a stable regimen, without changes in drugs or dose modification, for at least 4 weeks before study entry (Day 1) and agree to continue ART throughout the study NOTE: HIV-infected participants with a history of Kaposi's sarcoma and/or Multicentric Castleman's Disease are excluded.
- As determined by the enrolling physician or protocol designee, ability of the subject to understand and comply with study procedures for the entire length of the study.
Who cannot join
- Subjects meeting any of the criteria below may not participate in the study:
- Has known additional malignancy that is progressing or has required active treatment within the past 3 years. Note: Participants with basal cell carcinoma of the skin, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, or carcinoma in situ, excluding carcinoma in situ of the bladder, that have undergone potentially curative therapy are not excluded. Patients with controlled CLL must be off all therapy for at least 6 months.
- Has known active CNS metastases and/or carcinomatous meningitis. Participants with previously treated brain metastases may participate provided they are radiologically stable, i.e. without evidence of progression for at least 4 weeks by repeat imaging (note that the repeat imaging should be performed during study screening), clinically stable and without requirement of steroid treatment for at least 14 days prior to first dose of study intervention.
- Has received a live vaccine or live-attenuated vaccine within 30 days prior to the first dose of study drug. Administration of killed vaccines is allowed.
- Has a 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 registration.
- Has had an allogeneic tissue/solid organ transplant.
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- Has severe hypersensitivity (≥Grade 3) to pembrolizumab and/or any of its excipients.
- Has active autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment in the past 2 years (i.e. with use of disease modifying agents, corticosteroids or immunosuppressive drugs). Replacement therapy (e.g., thyroxine, insulin, or physiologic corticosteroid replacement therapy for adrenal or pituitary insufficiency, etc.) is not considered a form of systemic treatment.
- Has a history of (non-infectious) pneumonitis that required steroids or has current pneumonitis.
- Has an active infection requiring systemic therapy.
- Has active TB (Bacillus Tuberculosis) infection.
- Has a history or current evidence of any condition, therapy, or laboratory abnormality that might confound the results of the study, interfere with the subject's participation for the full duration of the study, or is not in the best interest of the subject to participate, in the opinion of the treating investigator.
- Has known psychiatric or substance abuse disorders that would interfere with cooperation with the requirements of the trial.
- Is pregnant or breastfeeding or expecting to conceive or father children within the projected duration of the study, starting with the screening visit through 7 months (females) or 120 days (males) after the last dose of trial treatment. NOTE: breast milk cannot be stored for future use while the mother is being treated on study.
- Clinically significant cardiovascular disease or cardiac insufficiency (New York Heart Association classes III-IV), cardiomyopathy, preexisting clinically significant arrhythmia, acute myocardial infarction within 3 months of enrollment, angina pectoris within 3 months of enrollment.
Trial locations and contacts
4 sites in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Allison Lipps contact
United States4 sites, 3 recruiting
- Recruiting
City of Hope
Duarte, California, 91010
Jennifer Simpson, 626-218-5087, Jsimpson@coh.org
Yan Xing, MD
- Recruiting
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
Iowa City, Iowa, 52242
Christine Etler, christine-etler@uiowa.edu
Douglas Laux, MD MS
- Terminated
University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center
Madison, Wisconsin, 53792
- Recruiting
Weill Cornell Medicine/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
New York, New York, 10065
Mahelia Bissassar, 646-962-7669, mab4028@med.cornell.edu
Myriam Elizaire-Williams
About this study
Official title: A Single Arm Study With Safety Run-in of Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy (PRRT) in Combination With Immunotherapy for Patients With Merkel Cell Cancer (HCRN MCC20-443; iPRRT Study)
The purpose of this study is to find out what effects an immunotherapy drug, called pembrolizumab, combined with a radioactive drug, called lutetium Lu 177 dotatate (Lutathera®) have on patients with Merkel cell carcinoma. Pembrolizumab works by helping patient's immune system to fight cancer. Lutathera works by killing cancer cells. Pembrolizumab is approved by the FDA to treat Merkel cell cancer and has caused some Merkel cell cancers to shrink and/or resolve. Lutathera is FDA-approved to treat some neuroendocrine tumors and has caused some patient's neuroendocrine tumors to shrink and allowed them to live longer, but it is not approved by the FDA to treat Merkel cell cancer. The combination of Lutathera and pembrolizumab to treat Merkel cell cancer is investigational, which means this combination is not approved by the FDA to treat Merkel cell cancer.
Read the detailed description
The study design will be a single arm phase 2 study in patients who have progressed on immunotherapy and who are candidates to continue pembrolizumab. Prior to enrollment in the Phase II portion, a run-in study will be performed to ensure safety and tolerability of the combination of pembrolizumab and lutetium Lu 177 dotatate. Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) will be given every 2 months for 4 doses. Pembrolizumab will be given every 6 weeks at 400mg fixed dosing for up to 2 years, until disease progression, or unacceptable toxicity.
- Conditions
- Merkel Cell Carcinoma
- Being tested
- Pembrolizumab, Lutetium Lu 177 dotatate
- Medical subject headings
- Carcinoma, Merkel Cell
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
PembrolizumabDrug
Also called Keytruda
Pembrolizumab 400mg IV
Lutetium Lu 177 dotatateDrug
Also called PRRT, Lutathera
7.4GBq (200 mCi) IV
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Experimental: Pembrolizumab + Lutetium Lu177 | Experimental | All patients will receive pembrolizumab once every 6 weeks + Lutetium Lu177 dotatate once every 2 months
Pembrolizumab Cycle=6 weeks (for up to 2 years) Lutetium Lu177 dotatate Cycle=2 months (4 doses total) Receives: Drug: Pembrolizumab; Drug: Lutetium Lu 177 dotatate |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Objective Response Rate (ORR)
The objective response rate is the proportion of all subjects with confirmed Partial Response (PR) or Complete Response (CR) according to RECIST 1.1.
Measured: 2 years
Secondary outcomes (2)
Progression free survival (PFS)
Progression-free survival is defined as the time from the start of study treatment until the criteria for disease progression is met as defined by RECIST 1.1 or death due to any cause occurs. Subjects who are alive and have not progressed by the analysis cutoff will be censored at the date of the last disease evaluation.
Measured: 2 years
Overall survival (OS)
Overall survival is defined as the time from the start of study treatment to death due to any cause. Subjects still alive by the analysis cutoff will be censored at their last date known to be alive.
Measured: 2 years
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted18 Oct 2022
- Study start3 Aug 2023
- Primary completionDec 2028 (estimated)
- Study completionDec 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Merkel Cell CarcinomaStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Weill Medical College of Cornell UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Model description
- Prior to enrollment in the Phase II portion, a run-in study will be performed to ensure safety and tolerability of the combination of pembrolizumab and lutetium Lu 177 dotatate.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 18 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Weill Medical College of Cornell University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Hoosier Cancer Research Network
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Anna C Pavlick, BSN, MSc, DO, MBA, Principal investigator, Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center at Weill Cornell Medicine
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05583708
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 22-10025228
- Acronym
- iPRRT
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 12 Oct 2022
- Last updated
- 25 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- Yes
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 25 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Single Arm Study With Safety Run-in of Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy (PRRT) in Combination With Immunotherapy for Patients With Merkel Cell Cancer (HCRN MCC20-443; iPRRT Study)
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05583708
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- iPRRT / 22-10025228
- Conditions
- Merkel Cell Carcinoma
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 18 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Weill Medical College of Cornell UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Hoosier Cancer Research Network
- Study start
- 3 Aug 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Dec 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Dec 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 18 Oct 2022 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The purpose of this study is to find out what effects an immunotherapy drug, called pembrolizumab, combined with a radioactive drug, called lutetium Lu 177 dotatate (Lutathera®) have on patients with Merkel cell carcinoma. Pembrolizumab works by helping patient's immune system to fight cancer. Lutathera works by killing cancer cells. Pembrolizumab is approved by the FDA to treat Merkel cell cancer and has caused some Merkel cell cancers to shrink and/or resolve. Lutathera is FDA-approved to treat some neuroendocrine tumors and has caused some patient's neuroendocrine tumors to shrink and allowed them to live longer, but it is not approved by the FDA to treat Merkel cell cancer. The combination of Lutathera and pembrolizumab to treat Merkel cell cancer is investigational, which means this combination is not approved by the FDA to treat Merkel cell cancer.
Detailed description
The study design will be a single arm phase 2 study in patients who have progressed on immunotherapy and who are candidates to continue pembrolizumab. Prior to enrollment in the Phase II portion, a run-in study will be performed to ensure safety and tolerability of the combination of pembrolizumab and lutetium Lu 177 dotatate. Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) will be given every 2 months for 4 doses. Pembrolizumab will be given every 6 weeks at 400mg fixed dosing for up to 2 years, until disease progression, or unacceptable toxicity.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
- Model description
- Prior to enrollment in the Phase II portion, a run-in study will be performed to ensure safety and tolerability of the combination of pembrolizumab and lutetium Lu 177 dotatate.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Experimental: Pembrolizumab + Lutetium Lu177 | Experimental | Drug: Pembrolizumab, Drug: Lutetium Lu 177 dotatateAll patients will receive pembrolizumab once every 6 weeks + Lutetium Lu177 dotatate once every 2 months Pembrolizumab Cycle=6 weeks (for up to 2 years) Lutetium Lu177 dotatate Cycle=2 months (4 doses total) |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (42 listed)
- Written informed consent and HIPAA authorization for release of personal health information prior to registration. NOTE: HIPAA authorization may be included in the informed consent or obtained separately.
- Male and female, age ≥ 18 years at the time of consent.
- ECOG Performance Status of 0-1 within 28 days prior to registration.
- Histological or cytological evidence of Merkel cell cancer per AJCC, 8th edition.
- Presence of somatostatin receptors by Ga-68 dotatate (or equivalent) imaging, which is a requirement for PRRT (lutetium Lu 177 dotatate [Lutathera®]). Must have at least one measurable lesion per RECIST 1.1.
Key exclusion criteria (15 listed)
- Has known additional malignancy that is progressing or has required active treatment within the past 3 years. Note: Participants with basal cell carcinoma of the skin, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, or carcinoma in situ, excluding carcinoma in situ of the bladder, that have undergone potentially curative therapy are not excluded. Patients with controlled CLL must be off all therapy for at least 6 months.
- Has known active CNS metastases and/or carcinomatous meningitis. Participants with previously treated brain metastases may participate provided they are radiologically stable, i.e. without evidence of progression for at least 4 weeks by repeat imaging (note that the repeat imaging should be performed during study screening), clinically stable and without requirement of steroid treatment for at least 14 days prior to first dose of study intervention.
- Has received a live vaccine or live-attenuated vaccine within 30 days prior to the first dose of study drug. Administration of killed vaccines is allowed.
- Has a 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 registration.
- Has had an allogeneic tissue/solid organ transplant.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| PembrolizumabAlso: KeytrudaPembrolizumab 400mg IV | Drug | Experimental: Pembrolizumab + Lutetium Lu177 |
| Lutetium Lu 177 dotatateAlso: PRRT, Lutathera7.4GBq (200 mCi) IV | Drug | Experimental: Pembrolizumab + Lutetium Lu177 |
Primary outcome
Objective Response Rate (ORR)
Time frame: 2 years
The objective response rate is the proportion of all subjects with confirmed Partial Response (PR) or Complete Response (CR) according to RECIST 1.1.
2 secondary outcomes
Progression free survival (PFS)
Time frame: 2 years
Overall survival (OS)
Time frame: 2 years
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 25 Sep 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Allison Lipps contact
Anna C Pavlick, BSN, MSc, DO, MBA principal investigator
Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center at Weill Cornell Medicine
4 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Phase 2 study testing Pembrolizumab and Lutetium Lu 177 dotatate in people with Merkel Cell Carcinoma, run by Weill Medical College of Cornell University at 4 sites in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 42 inclusion and 15 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 25 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 4 sites in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
What does this phase mean?
Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.
Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Anna C Pavlick, BSN, MSc, DO, MBA (646.962., acp9008@med.cornell.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Objective Response Rate (ORR) (time frame: 2 years). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 25 Sep 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 7 Nov 2026.