Skip to content

Pembrolizumab With Standard Cytotoxic Chemotherapy in Treatment Naive NSCLC Patients With Asymptomatic Brain Metastases

Pembrolizumab With Standard Cytotoxic Chemotherapy in Treatment Naive Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Patients With Asymptomatic Brain Metastases

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04967417
Acronym
PHOEBS
Enrollment
13
Registered
2021-07-19
Start date
2022-05-26
Completion date
2024-12-02
Last updated
2025-05-09

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Brief summary

This is a Phase II single center, open-label, single arm study in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (stage IV) with brain metastases. This study will be treated with combination of Pembrolizumab 200mg plus platinum doublet based on histology subtypes.

Detailed description

This is a Phase II single center, open-label, single arm study in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (stage IV) with brain metastases. Patients will be treated with combination of Pembrolizumab 200mg plus platinum doublet based on histology subtypes. After the 4 cycles of combination phase with cytotoxic chemotherapy, maintenance phase will be followed for maximum of 35 cycles. If the disease progression is observed in CNS only which can be controlled with local treatment, systemic treatment can be continued as beyond disease progression. Non-squamous cell carcinoma: 4 cycles of pemetrexed 500mg/m2 + carboplatin AUC 5.0 + pembrolizumab 200mg every 3 weeks Followed by pemetrexed 500mg/m2 + pembrolizumab 200mg every 3 weeks up to 35 cycles Squamous cell carcinoma: 4 cycles of paclitaxel 200mg/m2 + carboplatin AUC 6.0 + pembrolizumab 200mg every 3 weeks Followed by pembrolizumab 200mg every 3 weeks up to 35 cycles

Interventions

DRUGPemetrexed, Carboplatin, Pembrolizumab

* Pemetrexed 500mg/m2 * Carboplatin AUC 5.0 * Pembrolizumab 200mg

DRUGPaclitaxel, Carboplatin, Pembrolizumab

* Paclitaxel 200mg/m2 * Caboplatin AUC 6.0 * Pembrolizumab 200mg

Sponsors

Samsung Medical Center
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Intervention model description

Non-squamous cell carcinoma: 4 cycles of pemetrexed 500mg/m2 + carboplatin AUC 5.0 + pembrolizumab 200mg every 3 weeks Followed by pemetrexed 500mg/m2 + pembrolizumab 200mg every 3 weeks up to 35 cycles Squamous cell carcinoma: 4 cycles of paclitaxel 200mg/m2 + carboplatin AUC 6.0 + pembrolizumab 200mg every 3 weeks Followed by pembrolizumab 200mg every 3 weeks up to 35 cycles

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
19 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. Male/female participants who are at least 19 years of age on the day of signing informed consent with histologically confirmed diagnosis of stage IV non-small cell lung cancer with brain metastases will be enrolled in this study. 2. Must have at least one intracranial target lesion. Intracranial lesion must be equal or greater than the 10mm in longest diameter. 3. Have confirmation that EGFR or ALK-directed therapy is not indicated 4. Have measurable disease based on RECIST 1.1 as determined by the local site investigator/radiology assessment. Target lesions situated in a previously irradiated area are considered measurable if progression has been demonstrated in such lesions. Otherwise, previously treated with radiation is not considered as measurable lesion. 5. Have not received prior systemic treatment for their advanced/metastatic NSCLC. Subjects who received adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapy are eligible if the adjuvant/neoadjuvant therapy was completed at least 6 months prior to the development of metastatic disease. 6. Have a life expectancy of at least 3 months 7. Have a performance status of 0 or 1 on the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status. 8. Have adequate organ function 9. Male participants: A male participant must agree to use a contraception during the treatment period and for at least 120 days after the last dose of study treatment and refrain from donating sperm during this period. 10. A female participant is eligible to participate if she is not pregnant, not breastfeeding, and at least one of the following conditions applies: * a. Not a woman of childbearing potential (WOCBP) as defined in Appendix 3 OR * b. A WOCBP who agrees to follow the contraceptive guidance in Appendix 3 during the treatment period and for at least 120 days after the last dose of study treatment. 11. The participant (or legally acceptable representative if applicable) provides written informed consent for the trial.

Exclusion criteria

1. A WOCBP who has a positive urine pregnancy test within 72 hours prior to IP administration. If the urine test is positive or cannot be confirmed as negative, a serum pregnancy test will be required. 2. Has received prior therapy with an anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1, or anti PD L2 agent or with an agent directed to another stimulatory or co-inhibitory T-cell receptor (eg, CTLA-4, OX 40, CD137). 3. Has received prior systemic anti-cancer therapy including investigational agents prior to IP administration as a metastatic disease treatment, including tyrosine kinase inhibitor. 4. Had major surgery \< 3 weeks prior to first dose 5. No measurable CNS lesion other than CNS lesion treated with stereotactic radiotherapy or surgery 6. Had received whole brain radiotherapy or stereotactic radiotherapy to CNS disease. 7. Has received prior radiotherapy within 1 weeks of start of study intervention. Participants must have recovered from all radiation-related toxicities, not require corticosteroids, and not have had radiation pneumonitis. A 1-week washout is permitted for palliative radiation to non-CNS disease. 8. Has received a live vaccine within 30 days prior to the first dose of study drug. Examples of live vaccines include, but are not limited to, the following: measles, mumps, rubella, varicella/zoster (chicken pox), yellow fever, rabies, Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), and typhoid vaccine. Seasonal influenza vaccines for injection are generally killed virus vaccines and are allowed; however, intranasal influenza vaccines (eg, FluMist®) are live attenuated vaccines and are not allowed. 9. Is currently participating in or has participated in a study of an investigational agent or has used an investigational device within 4 weeks prior to the first dose of study intervention. 10. 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 the first dose of study drug. 11. Has a known additional malignancy that is progressing or has required active treatment within the past 3 years. Participants with basal cell carcinoma of the skin, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, thyroid cancer or early gastric cancer or carcinoma in situ (eg, breast carcinoma, cervical cancer in situ) that have undergone potentially curative therapy are not excluded. 12. Has known active carcinomatous meningitis. 13. Has severe hypersensitivity (≥Grade 3) to pembrolizumab and/or any of its excipients. 14. 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 (eg., thyroxine, insulin, or physiologic corticosteroid replacement therapy for adrenal or pituitary insufficiency, etc.) is not considered a form of systemic treatment and is allowed. 15. Has a history of (non-infectious) pneumonitis that currently required steroids or has current pneumonitis. 16. Has an active infection requiring systemic therapy. 17. Has a known history of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection. 18. Has a active Hepatitis B (defined as Hepatitis B surface antigen \[HBsAg\] reactive with HBV DNA positive) or known active Hepatitis C virus (defined as HCV RNA is detected) infection. These patients can be participated with appropriate treatment and prophylactic treatment based on the investigator's decision. 19. Has a history or current evidence of any condition, therapy, or laboratory abnormality that might confound the results of the study, interfere with the participant's participation for the full duration of the study, or is not in the best interest of the participant to participate, in the opinion of the treating investigator. 20. Has known psychiatric or substance abuse disorders that would interfere with cooperation with the requirements of the trial. 21. Is pregnant or breastfeeding or expecting to conceive or father children within the projected duration of the study, starting with the screening visit through 120 days after the last dose of trial treatment. 22. Has had an allogenic tissue/solid organ transplant.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Intracranial Objective Response RateUp to 24 monthsIntracranial objective response is defined as the investigator's best non-confirmed response as CR (complete response) or PR (partial response) as determined using RECIST v1.1. Subjects who do not meet these criteria, including those without a post-baseline tumor assessment, are considered non-responders. Intracranial objective response rate (iORR) is defined as the proportion of subjects who achieved an objective response among all subjects treated with the IP who had measurable disease at baseline. Per Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors Criteria (RECIST v1.1) for target lesions and assessed by MRI: Complete Response (CR), Disappearance of all target lesions; Partial Response (PR), \>=30% decrease in the sum of t the diameters of target lesion.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Progression Free Survival (PFS)The time until the date of either disease progression or the all-cause mortality from the date of IP administration. Up to 30 monthsPFS is defined as the period between the start date of the investigational drug and the date of the first documented disease progression or death, whichever occurs first. \- PFS (month) = (date of the first documented disease progression or death - date of the start of the investigational drug + 1) / 30.4375 Progression is defined using Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors Criteria (RECIST v1.1), as a 20% increase in the sum of diameters of TLs, taking as reference the smallest sum of diameters (nadir) on study (this includes the baseline sum if that is the smallest on study), or a measurable increase in a non-target lesion, or the appearance of new lesions
Overall Survival (OS)The time until defined by date of all-cause mortality from the date of IP Administration. Up to 30 months.Overall survival defined by date of all-cause mortality from the date of IP Administration will be calculated.
Intracranial Duration of ResponseUp to 30 months.The duration for intracranial response will be calculated separately to evaluate the intracranial efficacy of IP drug
Objective Response RateUp to 30 months.Objective response rate is defined as the investigator's best non-confirmed response as CR (complete response) or PR (partial response) as determined using RECIST v1.1. Subjects who do not meet these criteria, including those without a post-baseline tumor assessment, are considered non-responders. objective response rate (ORR) is defined as the proportion of subjects who achieved an objective response among all subjects treated with the IP who had measurable disease at baseline. Per Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors Criteria (RECIST v1.1) for target lesions and assessed by CT/MRI: Complete Response (CR), Disappearance of all target lesions; Partial Response (PR), \>=30% decrease in the sum of t the diameters of target lesion.
Adverse Eventsfrom the date of informed consent signature to 30 days after last drug administrationAdverse event will be evaluated using CTCAE v5.0
Intracranial Progression-free SurvivalUp to 30 months.Progression free survival of intracranial disease defined by the date of disease progression of intracranial lesion from the date of IP administration will be calculated. Progression is defined using Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors Criteria (RECIST v1.1), as a 20% increase in the sum of diameters of TLs, taking as reference the smallest sum of diameters (nadir) on study (this includes the baseline sum if that is the smallest on study), or a measurable increase in a non-target lesion, or the appearance of new lesions

Other

MeasureTime frameDescription
Exploratory Analyses Based on PD-L1 ExpressionUp to 30 months.The exploratory analyses based on the PD-L1 expression (by DAKO PD-L1 22C3 assay) from the baseline samples will be used for the exploratory analyses in subjects who are available for the PD-L1 test

Countries

South Korea

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Non-squamous Cell Carcinoma
* 4 cycles of pemetrexed 500mg/m2 + carboplatin AUC 5.0 + pembrolizumab 200mg every 3 weeks * Followed by pemetrexed 500mg/m2 + pembrolizumab 200mg every 3 weeks up to 35 cycles Pemetrexed, Carboplatin, Pembrolizumab: - Pemetrexed 500mg/m2 * Carboplatin AUC 5.0 * Pembrolizumab 200mg
11
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
* 4 cycles of paclitaxel 200mg/m2 + carboplatin AUC 6.0 + pembrolizumab 200mg every 3 weeks * Followed by pembrolizumab 200mg every 3 weeks up to 35 cycles Paclitaxel, Carboplatin, Pembrolizumab: - Paclitaxel 200mg/m2 * Caboplatin AUC 6.0 * Pembrolizumab 200mg
2
Total13

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicNon-squamous Cell CarcinomaTotalSquamous Cell Carcinoma
Age, Continuous64 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 10.75
61.69 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 13.28
49 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 24.04
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
11 Participants13 Participants2 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Region of Enrollment
South Korea
11 participants13 participants2 participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
5 Participants6 Participants1 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
6 Participants7 Participants1 Participants
Smoking history
Current
1 Participants1 Participants0 Participants
Smoking history
Former
4 Participants5 Participants1 Participants
Smoking history
Never
6 Participants7 Participants1 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 110 / 2
other
Total, other adverse events
11 / 112 / 2
serious
Total, serious adverse events
2 / 110 / 2

Outcome results

Primary

Intracranial Objective Response Rate

Intracranial objective response is defined as the investigator's best non-confirmed response as CR (complete response) or PR (partial response) as determined using RECIST v1.1. Subjects who do not meet these criteria, including those without a post-baseline tumor assessment, are considered non-responders. Intracranial objective response rate (iORR) is defined as the proportion of subjects who achieved an objective response among all subjects treated with the IP who had measurable disease at baseline. Per Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors Criteria (RECIST v1.1) for target lesions and assessed by MRI: Complete Response (CR), Disappearance of all target lesions; Partial Response (PR), \>=30% decrease in the sum of t the diameters of target lesion.

Time frame: Up to 24 months

ArmMeasureCategoryValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
Non-squamous Cell CarcinomaIntracranial Objective Response RatePartial Response6 Participants
Non-squamous Cell CarcinomaIntracranial Objective Response RateStable Response5 Participants
Non-squamous Cell CarcinomaIntracranial Objective Response RateProgressive Disease0 Participants
Non-squamous Cell CarcinomaIntracranial Objective Response RateNot evaluabe0 Participants
Squamous Cell CarcinomaIntracranial Objective Response RateNot evaluabe1 Participants
Squamous Cell CarcinomaIntracranial Objective Response RatePartial Response0 Participants
Squamous Cell CarcinomaIntracranial Objective Response RateProgressive Disease1 Participants
Squamous Cell CarcinomaIntracranial Objective Response RateStable Response0 Participants
Secondary

Adverse Events

Adverse event will be evaluated using CTCAE v5.0

Time frame: from the date of informed consent signature to 30 days after last drug administration

ArmMeasureGroupValue (NUMBER)
Non-squamous Cell CarcinomaAdverse EventsTEAEs11 Number
Non-squamous Cell CarcinomaAdverse EventsADR5 Number
Non-squamous Cell CarcinomaAdverse EventsSAE2 Number
Squamous Cell CarcinomaAdverse EventsTEAEs2 Number
Squamous Cell CarcinomaAdverse EventsADR0 Number
Squamous Cell CarcinomaAdverse EventsSAE0 Number
Secondary

Intracranial Duration of Response

The duration for intracranial response will be calculated separately to evaluate the intracranial efficacy of IP drug

Time frame: Up to 30 months.

Population: For squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), there was no response in a total of 2 patients.

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
Non-squamous Cell CarcinomaIntracranial Duration of Response9.3 Months
Secondary

Intracranial Progression-free Survival

Progression free survival of intracranial disease defined by the date of disease progression of intracranial lesion from the date of IP administration will be calculated. Progression is defined using Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors Criteria (RECIST v1.1), as a 20% increase in the sum of diameters of TLs, taking as reference the smallest sum of diameters (nadir) on study (this includes the baseline sum if that is the smallest on study), or a measurable increase in a non-target lesion, or the appearance of new lesions

Time frame: Up to 30 months.

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
Non-squamous Cell CarcinomaIntracranial Progression-free Survival9.82 Months
Squamous Cell CarcinomaIntracranial Progression-free Survival7.7 Months
Secondary

Objective Response Rate

Objective response rate is defined as the investigator's best non-confirmed response as CR (complete response) or PR (partial response) as determined using RECIST v1.1. Subjects who do not meet these criteria, including those without a post-baseline tumor assessment, are considered non-responders. objective response rate (ORR) is defined as the proportion of subjects who achieved an objective response among all subjects treated with the IP who had measurable disease at baseline. Per Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors Criteria (RECIST v1.1) for target lesions and assessed by CT/MRI: Complete Response (CR), Disappearance of all target lesions; Partial Response (PR), \>=30% decrease in the sum of t the diameters of target lesion.

Time frame: Up to 30 months.

ArmMeasureCategoryValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
Non-squamous Cell CarcinomaObjective Response RatePartial Response6 Participants
Non-squamous Cell CarcinomaObjective Response RateStable Disease4 Participants
Non-squamous Cell CarcinomaObjective Response RateProgressive Disease1 Participants
Non-squamous Cell CarcinomaObjective Response RateNot evaluable0 Participants
Squamous Cell CarcinomaObjective Response RateNot evaluable1 Participants
Squamous Cell CarcinomaObjective Response RatePartial Response0 Participants
Squamous Cell CarcinomaObjective Response RateProgressive Disease1 Participants
Squamous Cell CarcinomaObjective Response RateStable Disease0 Participants
Secondary

Overall Survival (OS)

Overall survival defined by date of all-cause mortality from the date of IP Administration will be calculated.

Time frame: The time until defined by date of all-cause mortality from the date of IP Administration. Up to 30 months.

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
Non-squamous Cell CarcinomaOverall Survival (OS)10.45 Months
Squamous Cell CarcinomaOverall Survival (OS)12.45 Months
Secondary

Progression Free Survival (PFS)

PFS is defined as the period between the start date of the investigational drug and the date of the first documented disease progression or death, whichever occurs first. \- PFS (month) = (date of the first documented disease progression or death - date of the start of the investigational drug + 1) / 30.4375 Progression is defined using Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors Criteria (RECIST v1.1), as a 20% increase in the sum of diameters of TLs, taking as reference the smallest sum of diameters (nadir) on study (this includes the baseline sum if that is the smallest on study), or a measurable increase in a non-target lesion, or the appearance of new lesions

Time frame: The time until the date of either disease progression or the all-cause mortality from the date of IP administration. Up to 30 months

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
Non-squamous Cell CarcinomaProgression Free Survival (PFS)7.23 Months
Squamous Cell CarcinomaProgression Free Survival (PFS)7.7 Months
Other Pre-specified

Exploratory Analyses Based on PD-L1 Expression

The exploratory analyses based on the PD-L1 expression (by DAKO PD-L1 22C3 assay) from the baseline samples will be used for the exploratory analyses in subjects who are available for the PD-L1 test

Time frame: Up to 30 months.

Population: Although this outcome was pre-specified, the study enrolled only 13 participants and valid PD-L1 expression data were available for very few participants. As such, it was not possible to conduct any meaningful exploratory analyses based on PD-L1 status. Given the limited sample size and incomplete biomarker data, this outcome was not analyzed, and no results are reported.~All samples were collected and handled in accordance with participants' ICF and the protocol approved by the IRB.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026