Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Active, Not Recruiting

NCT Number: NCT05239728

A Study of Belzutifan (MK-6482) Plus Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) Versus Placebo Plus Pembrolizumab in Participants With Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Post Nephrectomy (MK-6482-022)

The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of oral belzutifan (MK-6482) plus intravenous (IV) pembrolizumab (MK-3475) compared to placebo plus pembrolizumab, in the adjuvant treatment of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (ccRCC) post nephrectomy.

The primary study hypothesis is that belzutifan plus pembrolizumab is superior to placebo plus pembrolizumab with respect to disease-free survival (DFS).

Active, Not Recruiting

This study is active but is not currently recruiting participants.

Notify Me

Key information

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 3

Primary location

Blacktown Hospital ( Site 0002), Blacktown, New South Wales, Australia

Loading trial locations.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

The main inclusion and exclusion criteria include but are not limited to the following:

Inclusion criteria

  • Has a histologically or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of RCC with clear cell component per American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) (8th Edition), with or without sarcomatoid features
  • Has intermediate-high risk, high risk, or M1 no evidence of disease (NED) RCC as defined by the following pathological tumor-node metastasis and tumor grading:
  • Intermediate-high risk RCC: pT2, Grade 4 or sarcomatoid, N0, M0; pT3, any grade, N0, M0
  • High risk RCC: pT4, any Grade N0, M0; pT any stage, any Grade, N+, M0
  • M1 NED RCC participants who present not only with the primary kidney tumor but also solid, isolated, soft tissue metastases that can be completely resected at one of the following: the time of nephrectomy (synchronous) or, ≤2 years from nephrectomy (metachronous)
  • Has undergone complete resection of the primary tumor (partial or radical nephrectomy) and complete resection of solid, isolated, soft tissue metastatic lesion(s) in M1 NED participants
  • Must have undergone a nephrectomy and/or metastasectomy ≤12 weeks prior to randomization
  • Has Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 to 1 within 10 days before randomization.
  • Male participants must agree to continue contraception at least 7 days after the last dose of belzutifan/placebo
  • Female participants of childbearing potential must be willing to use an adequate method of contraception, for the course of the study through 120 days after the last dose of pembrolizumab or at least 30 days after last dose of belzutifan/placebo, whichever occurs last
  • Has adequate organ function

Exclusion criteria

  • Has had a major surgery, other than nephrectomy plus resection of preexisting metastases for M1 NED participants, within 4 weeks prior to randomization
  • Has a pulse oximeter reading <92% at rest, requires intermittent supplemental oxygen, or requires chronic supplemental oxygen
  • Has clinically significant cardiovascular disease within 6 months from first dose of study intervention
  • Has other clinically significant disorders such as: serious active nonhealing wound/ulcer/bone fracture; requirement for hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis
  • Has preexisting brain or bone metastatic lesions
  • Has received prior systemic therapy for RCC
  • Has received prior radiotherapy for RCC
  • Has received a live or live-attenuated vaccine within 30 days before the first dose of study intervention; administration of killed vaccines are allowed
  • Has a diagnosis of immunodeficiency or is receiving chronic systemic steroid therapy
  • Has a known additional malignancy (other than RCC treated with nephrectomy and/or metastasectomy) that is progressing or has required active treatment within the past 3 years
  • Has an active autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment in past 2 years (i.e., with use of disease modifying agents, corticosteroids, or immunosuppressive drugs); replacement therapy is allowed
  • Has a history of (noninfectious) pneumonitis/interstitial lung disease that required steroids or has current pneumonitis/interstitial lung disease
  • Has an active infection, requiring systemic therapy
  • Has a known history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, a known history of Hepatitis B or known active Hepatitis C virus infection
  • Has had an allogenic tissue/solid organ transplant

Treatment and study plan

Belzutifan

Drug

Three 40 mg tablets given as a single oral 120 mg dose.

Other names: MK-6482, PT2977, WELIREG™

Pembrolizumab

Biological

400 mg via IV infusion

Other names: MK-3475, Keytruda®

Placebo

Drug

Oral tablet

Primary outcomes

  1. Disease-Free Survival (DFS)

    Time frame: Up to approximately 54 months

    DFS is defined as the time from randomization to the first documented local recurrence, or occurrence of distant kidney cancer metastasis(es) as assessed by investigator, or death due to any cause, whichever occurs first. The DFS for all participants will be presented.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Overall Survival (OS)

    Time frame: Up to approximately 89 months

    OS is defined as the time from randomization to death due to any cause.

  2. Number of Participants Who Experience at Least One Adverse Event (AE)

    Time frame: Up to approximately 66 weeks

    An AE is any untoward medical occurrence in a clinical study participant, temporally associated with the use of study intervention, whether or not considered related to the study intervention. An AE can therefore be any unfavorable and unintended sign (including an abnormal laboratory finding), symptom, or disease (new or exacerbated) temporally associated with the use of a study intervention. The number of participants who experienced an AE will be reported.

  3. Number of Participants Who Discontinue Study Treatment Due to an AE

    Time frame: Up to approximately 54 weeks

    An AE is any untoward medical occurrence in a clinical study participant, temporally associated with the use of study intervention, whether or not considered related to the study intervention. An AE can therefore be any unfavorable and unintended sign (including an abnormal laboratory finding), symptom, or disease (new or exacerbated) temporally associated with the use of a study intervention. The number of participants who discontinued the study due to an AE will be reported.

  4. Disease Recurrence-Specific Survival 1 (DRSS1)

    Time frame: Up to approximately 54 months

    DRSS1 is defined as the time from randomization to the first documented local recurrence of RCC as assessed by the investigator. For DRSS1, only local recurrence is counted as an event.

  5. Disease Recurrence-Specific Survival 2 (DRSS2)

    Time frame: Up to approximately 54 months

    DRSS2 is defined as the time from randomization to the first documented local recurrence with visceral lesion or occurrence of distant kidney cancer metastasis(es) with visceral lesion, whichever occurs first, as assessed by investigator.

  6. Change From Baseline in Health-Related Quality-of-Life (HRQoL) Using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) Items 29 and 30 Score

    Time frame: Baseline (Day 1) and up to approximately 36 months

    The EORTC QLQ-C30 is a questionnaire to assess the overall quality of life of participants with cancer. Participant responses to the questions "How would you rate your overall health during the past week?" and "How would you rate your overall quality of life during the past week?" are scored on a 7-point scale (1= Very poor to 7=Excellent). Using linear transformation, raw scores are standardized, so that scores range from 0 to 100. A higher score indicates a better overall health status. The change from baseline in EORTC QLQ-C30 Items 29 and 30 combined scores will be presented.

  7. Change From Baseline in Physical Functioning Using the EORTC QLQ-C30 Items 1- 5 Score

    Time frame: Baseline (Day 1) and up to approximately 36 months

    The EORTC QLQ-C30 is a cancer specific health-related quality-of life (QoL) questionnaire. Participant responses to 5 questions about their physical functioning are scored on a 4-point scale (1=Not at All to 4=Very Much). Higher scores indicate a worse level of function. Change from baseline in the score of EORTC QLQ-C30 Items 1-5 will be presented.

  8. Change From Baseline in Role Functioning Using the EORTC QLQ-C30 Items 6 and 7 Score

    Time frame: Baseline (Day 1) and up to approximately 36 months

    The EORTC QLQ-C30 is a cancer specific health-related quality-of life (QoL) questionnaire. Participant responses to questions about their role functioning are scored on a 4-point scale (1=Not at All to 4=Very Much). Higher score indicate a worse level of function. Change from baseline in the score of EORTC QLQ-C30 Items 6-7 will be presented.

  9. Change From Baseline in Disease Symptoms Using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Kidney Symptom Index-Disease-related Symptoms (FKSI-DRS) Items 1-9 Score

    Time frame: Baseline (Day 1) and up to approximately 36 months

    The FKSI-DRS index consists of a 9-item questionnaire that assesses the extent of participant symptoms from kidney cancer. Responses are scored on a 5-point scale (0=Not at all to 4=Very much) and summed to generate an index symptom score. These scores can range from 0 to 36, with a higher score indicating more favorable kidney cancer symptom status. Change from baseline in the score of FKSI-DRS Items 1-9 will be presented.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC

Industry

Registry information

Official study title

A Multicenter, Double-blind, Randomized Phase 3 Study to Compare the Efficacy and Safety of Belzutifan (MK-6482) Plus Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) Versus Placebo Plus Pembrolizumab in the Adjuvant Treatment of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (ccRCC) Post Nephrectomy (MK-6482-022)

Important dates

Study start
2022
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2029
First posted
Feb 15, 2022
Registry last updated
May 15, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.