Skip to content

Immunotherapy With Non-Ablative Radiation in Previously Untreated Patients With Stage IV NSCLC

A Phase II Trial of Immunotherapy With Non-Ablative Radiation in Previously Untreated Patients With Stage IV NSCLC

Status
Terminated
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT05691829
Acronym
IRRADIATE-Lung
Enrollment
19
Registered
2023-01-20
Start date
2023-01-24
Completion date
2025-04-21
Last updated
2025-07-29

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

Conditions

NSCLC Stage IV

Keywords

Lung, Immunotherapy, Fraction non-ablative radiation, untreated patients, metastatic

Brief summary

The purpose of this study is to test if low dose radiation, which is routinely used in treating patients with lung cancer for symptom control, can improve the results from the standard treatment with pembrolizumab and chemotherapy. In this study, only individuals who have NSCLC that is advanced (Stage IV), or has come back (recurred), will be able to participate.

Detailed description

This is a phase II open-label trial of pembrolizumab sequentially following upfront non-ablative focal therapy to up to five distinct metastatic subsites in de novo stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). The primary goal of this trial is to evaluate the efficacy defined by time to progression or death with upfront non-ablative focal radiation (RT) to index lesions as a way of enhancing the anti-tumor immune response to pembrolizumab. Adult patients with metastatic NSCLC, with at least 2 measurable lesions and those Patients with metastatic NSCLC who are previously untreated are eligible for the study if they meet all inclusion criteria, and do not satisfy any exclusion criteria. Participants will receive standard of care immunotherapy of Pembrolizumab in addition to non-ablative radiation. The intervention is the low dose fractionation, 4Gy x 5, in the upfront treatment of de novo stage IV NSCLC in up to five distinct subsites of metastatic NSCLC.

Interventions

DRUGPembrolizumab

Pembrolizumab 200mg solution administered intravenously every 3 weeks for 6 cycles followed by maintenance therapy until progression of disease or unacceptable toxicity (standard of care). Administered alongside chemotherapy.

RADIATIONRadiation

One-time, up-front radiation delivered at up to five metastatic subsites at a 4 Gy x 5 radiation dose fractionation schedule. Radiation will be delivered within five days before or after initiation of first cycle of pembrolizumab treatment. Radiation modality and technique will be determined at the discretion of the treating radiation oncologist.

DRUGChemotherapy

Administered alongside pembrolizumab every 3 weeks for 6 cycles per institutional standard of care. For non-squamous, the standard chemotherapy option of choice is carboplatin and pemetrexed. For squamous cell carcinoma, the chemotherapy used would be carboplatin and paclitaxel or nab-paclitaxel

Sponsors

NYU Langone Health
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 100 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. Be willing and able to provide written informed consent/assent for the trial. 2. Histologically documented, metastatic NSCLC with no previous systemic therapy 3. At least 2 distinct measurable metastatic sites, which are 1 cm or larger; patients can have radiation to multiple measurable disease sites as clinically indicated, however, there must be at least 1 measurable non-radiated target lesion for response assessment. 4. Agreeable to provide archival tissue for correlative studies; if no archival tissue available may obtain an exemption by the study team. 5. Be at least 18 years of age on day of signing informed consent. 6. Have measurable disease based on RECIST 1.1. 7. Have a performance status of ≤1 ECOG Performance Scale. 8. Demonstrate adequate organ function as defined in Table 2, all screening labs should be performed within 10 days of treatment initiation 9. Have one measurable lesion of at least 1 cm outside the planned radiation field (defined as not receiving direct beam from any of the treatment portals). 10. Female subject of childbearing potential should have a negative urine or serum pregnancy within 72 hours prior to receiving the first dose of study medication. If the urine test is positive or cannot be confirmed as negative, a serum pregnancy test will be required. 11. Female subjects of childbearing potential must be willing to use an adequate method of contraception as outlined in Section - Contraception, for the course of the study through 120 days after the last dose of study medication. Note: Abstinence is acceptable if this is the usual lifestyle and preferred contraception for the subject. 12. Male subjects of childbearing potential must agree to use an adequate method of contraception as outlined in Section- Contraception, starting with the first dose of study therapy through 120 days after the last dose of study therapy. Note: Abstinence is acceptable if this is the usual lifestyle and preferred contraception for the subject.

Exclusion criteria

1. 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 of the first dose of treatment. 2. Has a diagnosis of immunodeficiency or is receiving systemic steroid therapy or any other form of immunosuppressive therapy within 7 days prior to the first dose of trial treatment. 3. Has a known history of active TB (Bacillus Tuberculosis) 4. Hypersensitivity to pembrolizumab or any of its excipients. 5. Has had prior chemotherapy, immunotherapy or targeted small molecule therapy within 6 months prior to study Day 1. 6. Patient who have previously received radiation overlapping, as determined by the treating radiation oncologist, with the current planned radiation treatment fields are ineligible. 7. Patient's treated with whole brain radiation therapy are ineligible. 8. Has a known additional malignancy that is progressing or requires active treatment. Exceptions include basal cell carcinoma of the skin or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin that has undergone potentially curative therapy or in situ cervical cancer. 9. Has known active central nervous system (CNS) metastases and/or carcinomatous meningitis. Subjects with previously treated brain metastases (with SRS and/or neurosurgery) may participate provided they are clinically stable and, have no evidence of new or enlarging brain metastases and also are off steroids 3 days prior to dosing with study medication. 10. Patients who have not recovered (i.e., ≤ Grade 2 or at baseline) from adverse events due to a previously administered agent. \*Note: If subject received major surgery, they must have recovered adequately from the toxicity and/or complications from the intervention prior to starting therapy. 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. 11. Has history of autoimmune disorders, (non-infectious) pneumonitis that required steroids, evidence of interstitial lung disease or active, non-infectious pneumonitis. 12. Has an active infection requiring systemic therapy. 13. Has a history or current evidence of any condition, therapy, or laboratory abnormality that might confound the results of the trial, interfere with the subject's participation for the full duration of the trial, or is not in the best interest of the subject to participate, in the opinion of the treating investigator. 14. Has known psychiatric or substance abuse disorders that would interfere with cooperation with the requirements of the trial. 15. Is pregnant or breastfeeding, or expecting to conceive or father children within the projected duration of the trial, starting with the pre-screening or screening visit through 120 days after the last dose of trial treatment. 16. Patients with prior history of chemoradiation for lung cancer 17. Has a known history of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (HIV 1/2 antibodies). 18. Has known active Hepatitis B (e.g., HBsAg reactive) or Hepatitis C (e.g., HCV RNA \[qualitative\] is detected). 19. Has received a live vaccine within 30 days of planned start of study therapy. Note: Seasonal influenza vaccines for injection are generally inactivated flu vaccines and are allowed; however, intranasal influenza vaccines (e.g., Flu-Mist®) are live attenuated vaccines, and are not allowed.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Percent of Participants With a Best Overall Response of Complete Response (CR) or Partial Response (PR) by End of Treatment Cycle 4Up to Week 12 (End of Cycle 4 - each cycle is 21 days)Defined as the best response recorded from the start of the study treatment until the end of treatment Cycle 4, either Complete Response or Partial Response. A CR is defined as the disappearance of all target lesions (TLs) and reduction in the short axis measurement of all pathologic lymph nodes to ≤10 mm. A PR is defined as at least a 30% decrease in the sum of the longest diameter (SLD) of TLs, taking as reference the baseline SLD.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Progression-Free Survival (PFS) at Final Follow-UpFrom enrollment until the first documented and confirmed progression of disease, death, date last follow-up, or end of study; assessed up to 81 weeksPFS is defined as the time from initiation of study drug post-radiation, until the first documented, confirmed progression of disease or death.
Overall Survival (OS) at Final Follow-UpFrom enrollment until the first documented and confirmed progression of disease, death, date last follow-up, or end of study; assessed up to 81 weeksOS is defined as the time (in weeks) to death from the start of drug therapy.
Percentage of Participants With an Objective ResponseWeek 52An objective response (Complete Response or Partial Response) is defined as lasting continuously for 6 months and starting any time within 12 months of initiating therapy. A CR is defined as the disappearance of all target lesions and reduction in the short axis measurement of all pathologic lymph nodes to ≤10 mm. A PR is defined as at least a 30% decrease in the sum of the longest diameter (SLD) of TLs, taking as reference the baseline SLD.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Untreated Patients With Stage IV NSCLC
Participants will receive radiation in concert with starting chemotherapy with pembrolizumab for up to 6 cycles (18 weeks), followed by continued treatment with pembrolizumab (standard of care). Patients will be followed for 1 year following the completion of the core study period of 6 cycles. Pembrolizumab: Pembrolizumab 200mg solution administered intravenously every 3 weeks for 6 cycles followed by maintenance therapy until progression of disease or unacceptable toxicity (standard of care). Administered alongside chemotherapy. Radiation: One-time, up-front radiation delivered at up to five metastatic subsites at a 4 Gy x 5 radiation dose fractionation schedule. Radiation will be delivered within five days before or after initiation of first cycle of pembrolizumab treatment. Radiation modality and technique will be determined at the discretion of the treating radiation oncologist. Chemotherapy: Administered alongside pembrolizumab every 3 weeks for 6 cycles per institutional standard of care. For non-squamous, the standard chemotherapy option of choice is carboplatin and pemetrexed. For squamous cell carcinoma, the chemotherapy used would be carboplatin and paclitaxel or nab-paclitaxel
14
Total14

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000
Overall StudyEligibility criteria not met3
Overall StudyPhysician Decision2

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicUntreated Patients With Stage IV NSCLC
Age, Continuous80 years
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
1 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
12 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
4 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
8 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
14 participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
3 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
11 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
4 / 14
other
Total, other adverse events
13 / 14
serious
Total, serious adverse events
9 / 14

Outcome results

Primary

Percent of Participants With a Best Overall Response of Complete Response (CR) or Partial Response (PR) by End of Treatment Cycle 4

Defined as the best response recorded from the start of the study treatment until the end of treatment Cycle 4, either Complete Response or Partial Response. A CR is defined as the disappearance of all target lesions (TLs) and reduction in the short axis measurement of all pathologic lymph nodes to ≤10 mm. A PR is defined as at least a 30% decrease in the sum of the longest diameter (SLD) of TLs, taking as reference the baseline SLD.

Time frame: Up to Week 12 (End of Cycle 4 - each cycle is 21 days)

Population: 1 participant did not start treatment

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
Untreated Patients With Stage IV NSCLCPercent of Participants With a Best Overall Response of Complete Response (CR) or Partial Response (PR) by End of Treatment Cycle 430.77 percentage of participants
Secondary

Overall Survival (OS) at Final Follow-Up

OS is defined as the time (in weeks) to death from the start of drug therapy.

Time frame: From enrollment until the first documented and confirmed progression of disease, death, date last follow-up, or end of study; assessed up to 81 weeks

Population: 1 participant did not start treatment

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
Untreated Patients With Stage IV NSCLCOverall Survival (OS) at Final Follow-Up51.57 weeks
Secondary

Percentage of Participants With an Objective Response

An objective response (Complete Response or Partial Response) is defined as lasting continuously for 6 months and starting any time within 12 months of initiating therapy. A CR is defined as the disappearance of all target lesions and reduction in the short axis measurement of all pathologic lymph nodes to ≤10 mm. A PR is defined as at least a 30% decrease in the sum of the longest diameter (SLD) of TLs, taking as reference the baseline SLD.

Time frame: Week 52

Population: 1 participant did not start treatment

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
Untreated Patients With Stage IV NSCLCPercentage of Participants With an Objective Response38.46 percentage of participants
Secondary

Progression-Free Survival (PFS) at Final Follow-Up

PFS is defined as the time from initiation of study drug post-radiation, until the first documented, confirmed progression of disease or death.

Time frame: From enrollment until the first documented and confirmed progression of disease, death, date last follow-up, or end of study; assessed up to 81 weeks

Population: 1 participant did not start treatment

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
Untreated Patients With Stage IV NSCLCProgression-Free Survival (PFS) at Final Follow-Up42.86 weeks

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