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Completed

NCT Number: NCT05008224

Study of Safety and Efficacy of Pembrolizumab and Chemotherapy in Participants With Newly Diagnosed Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma (cHL) (MK-3475-C11/KEYNOTE-C11)

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of pembrolizumab (MK-3475) monotherapy, followed by chemotherapy, followed by pembrolizumab consolidation. The primary hypothesis of the study is that the complete response (CR) rate at the end of study intervention according to Lugano 2014 response criteria is higher than conventional chemotherapy.

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Key information

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 2

Primary location

Liverpool Hospital-Haematology ( Site 0906), Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia

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Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

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

  • Has a histologically confirmed diagnosis of Ann Arbor Stage III or IV classical Hodgkin Lymphoma (cHL). Stage I and II participants may be enrolled, but must have at least one National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) unfavorable risk factor per protocol
  • Has measurable 2-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-avid disease based on investigator assessment according to Lugano 2014 response criteria
  • Has not received prior radiation therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or other systemic therapy for the treatment of cHL before the first dose of study intervention
  • Has an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status of 0 to 1 assessed within 7 days before the start of study intervention

Exclusion criteria

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

  • Has confirmed nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL)
  • Has an uncontrolled intercurrent cardiovascular illness
  • Has received prior therapy with an anti-programmed cell death 1 protein (PD-1), anti-programmed cell death ligand 1 protein (PD-L1), or anti- programmed cell death ligand 2 protein (PD-L2) agent or with an agent directed to another stimulatory or coinhibitory T-cell receptor
  • Has received or is expected to receive a live or live-attenuated vaccine within 30 days before the first dose of study intervention
  • Is currently participating in or has participated in a study of an investigational agent or has used an investigational device within 4 weeks before the first dose of study intervention
  • Has a diagnosis of immunodeficiency or is receiving chronic systemic steroid therapy or any other form of immunosuppressive therapy within 7 days prior the first dose of study medication
  • Has a known additional malignancy that is progressing or has required active treatment within the past 5 years
  • Has radiographically detectable central nervous system metastases and/or carcinomatous meningitis
  • Has an active autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment in past 2 years
  • Has a history of (noninfectious) pneumonitis/interstitial lung disease that required steroids or has current pneumonitis/interstitial lung disease
  • Has a history or current evidence of pulmonary fibrosis
  • Has had an allogenic tissue/solid organ transplant

Treatment and study plan

Pembrolizumab

Biological

200 mg IV administered on Day 1 of each 3-week cycle for 3 cycles during pembrolizumab monotherapy.

400 mg IV administered on Day 1 of each 6-week cycle for 4 cycles as pembrolizumab consolidation.

Other names: MK-3475, SCH 900475, KEYTRUDA®

Doxorubicin

Drug

25 mg/m^2 IV administered as part of AVD chemotherapy on Days 1 and 15 of each 4-week cycle for 2 cycles in all participants after PET scan 2 and up to 4 additional cycles after PET scan 3 (participants who are PET scan 3 negative, or positive and ≥60 years of age).

35 mg/m^2 IV administered as part of escBEACOPP chemotherapy on Day 1 of each 3-week cycle for up to 4 cycles after PET scan 3 (participants who are PET scan 3 positive, <60 years of age).

Other names: Adriamycin, DOXIL®, Rubex®

Vinblastine

Drug

6 mg/m^2 IV administered as part of AVD chemotherapy on Days 1 and 15 of each 4-week cycle for 2 cycles after PET scan 2 (all participants) and up to 4 additional cycles after PET scan 3 (participants who are PET scan 3 negative, or positive and ≥60 years of age).

Other names: Alkaban-AQ®, Velban®

Dacarbazine

Drug

375 mg/m^2 IV administered as part of AVD chemotherapy on Days 1 and 15 of each 4-week cycle for 2 cycles after PET scan 2 (all participants) and up to 4 additional cycles after PET scan 3 (participants who are PET scan 3 negative, or positive and ≥60 years of age).

Other names: Dtic-Dome®

Bleomycin

Drug

10 units/m^2 IV administered as part of escBEACOPP chemotherapy on Day 8 of each 3-week cycle for up to 4 cycles after PET scan 3 (participants who are PET scan 3 positive and <60 years of age).

Other names: Blenoxane®

etoposide

Drug

200 mg/m^2 IV administered as part of escBEACOPP chemotherapy on Days 1-3 of each 3-week cycle for up to 4 cycles after PET scan 3 (participants who are PET scan 3 positive and <60 years of age).

Other names: Toposar®, VePesid®, Etopophos®, VP-16, Etoposide phosphate

Cyclophosphamide

Drug

1250 mg/m^2 IV administered as part of escBEACOPP chemotherapy on Day 1 of each 3-week cycle for up to 4 cycles after PET scan 3 (participants who are PET scan 3 positive and <60 years of age).

Other names: Neosar®, Cytoxan®

Vincristine

Drug

1.4 mg/m^2 IV administered as part of escBEACOPP chemotherapy on Day 8 of each 3-week cycle for up to 4 cycles after PET scan 3 (participants who are PET scan 3 positive and <60 years of age).

Other names: Oncovin®, Vincasar PFS®

Procarbazine

Drug

100 mg/m^2 orally (PO) administered as part of escBEACOPP chemotherapy on Days 1-7 of each 3-week cycle for up to 4 cycles after PET scan 3 (participants who are PET scan 3 positive and <60 years of age).

Other names: Matulane®

Prednisone

Drug

40 mg/m^2 PO administered as part of escBEACOPP chemotherapy on Days 1-14 of each 3-week cycle for up to 4 cycles after PET scan 3 (participants who are PET scan 3 positive and <60 years of age).

Other names: Liquid Pred®, Meticorten®, Orasone®, Deltasone®

Primary outcomes

  1. Complete Response (CR) Rate at the End of Study Intervention as Assessed by Blinded Independent Central Review (BICR) Per Lugano 2014 Response Criteria

    Time frame: Up to approximately 24 months

    CR rate was assessed by BICR using Computed Tomography (CT) and PET scan according to Lugano 2014 response criteria (Cheson, B.D. et al, Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2014). At each timepoint, CR was determined by combining the anatomic response, metabolic response, and clinical data. The criteria for CR included complete metabolic (no/minimal 2-fluorodeoxyglucose [FDG] uptake) and radiologic response (target lesions regress to ≤1.5 cm in longest transverse diameter of a lesion) and no new lesions. Per protocol, participants who discontinued study intervention during pembrolizumab monotherapy, chemotherapy, or pembrolizumab consolidation, or are lost to follow-up, or receive any new non-study anticancer therapy prior to end of treatment were classified as non-responders. The percentage of participants who had CR after the completion of pembrolizumab consolidation is presented.

Secondary outcomes

  1. CR Rate at the End of Study Intervention as Assessed by Investigator Per Lugano 2014 Response Criteria

    Time frame: Up to approximately 31 months

    CR rate was assessed by the investigator using CT and PET scan according to Lugano 2014 response criteria (Cheson, B.D. et al, Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2014). At each timepoint, CR was determined by combining the anatomic response, metabolic response, and clinical data. The criteria for CR included complete metabolic (no/minimal FDG uptake) and radiologic response (target lesions regress to ≤1.5 cm in longest transverse diameter of a lesion) and no new lesions. Per protocol, participants who discontinued study intervention during pembrolizumab monotherapy, chemotherapy, or pembrolizumab consolidation, or are lost to follow-up, or receive any new non-study anticancer therapy prior to end of treatment were classified as non-responders. The percentage of participants who had CR after the completion of pembrolizumab consolidation is presented.

  2. Duration of Complete Response (DurCR) as Assessed by BICR Per Lugano 2014 Response Criteria

    Time frame: Up to approximately 31 months

    DurCR was defined as the time from CR to progressive disease (PD) or death due to any cause, whichever came first. CR was assessed by BICR using CT and PET scan according to Lugano 2014 response criteria (Cheson, B.D. et al, Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2014). At each timepoint, CR was determined by combining the anatomic response, metabolic response, and clinical data. The criteria for CR included complete metabolic (no/minimal FDG uptake) and radiologic response (target lesions regress to ≤1.5 cm in longest transverse diameter of a lesion) and no new lesions. PD was defined as uptake moderately or markedly higher than the liver and/or new lesions. DurCR was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method for censored data and is presented for participants who demonstrated CR.

  3. Rate of PET Negativity Assessed by BICR According to the FDG-PET 5-point Scale After Administration of Pembrolizumab Monotherapy (PET Scan 2)

    Time frame: Up to approximately 10 weeks

    The rate of PET negativity was defined as the percentage of participants considered negative on the FDG-PET 5-point scale, as assessed by BICR according to Lugano 2014 response criteria (Cheson, B.D. et al, Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2014). Participants were assigned a single score on the FDG-PET 5-point scale measuring FDG uptake (1 = no uptake above background, 2 = uptake above background but ≤ mediastinum, 3 = uptake > mediastinum but ≤ liver, 4 = uptake moderately > liver, 5 = uptake markedly > liver or new FDG-positive lesions). Higher scores corresponded to greater uptake (greater disease). FDG-PET 5-point scale scores of 1, 2, and 3 were considered negative and scores of 4 and 5 were considered positive. The percentage of participants who were assessed as negative at PET scan 2, after completion of 3 cycles of pembrolizumab monotherapy, is presented.

  4. Rate of PET Negativity Assessed by BICR According to the FDG-PET 5-point Scale After Administration of Pembrolizumab Monotherapy and AVD Chemotherapy (PET Scan 3)

    Time frame: Up to approximately 5 months

    The rate of PET negativity was defined as the percentage of participants considered negative on the FDG-PET 5-point scale, as assessed by BICR according to Lugano 2014 response criteria (Cheson, B.D. et al, Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2014). Participants were assigned a single score on the FDG-PET 5-point scale measuring FDG uptake (1 = no uptake above background, 2 = uptake above background but ≤ mediastinum, 3 = uptake > mediastinum but ≤ liver, 4 = uptake moderately > liver, 5 = uptake markedly > liver or new FDG-positive lesions). Higher scores corresponded to greater uptake (greater disease). FDG-PET 5-point scale scores of 1, 2, and 3 were considered negative and scores of 4 and 5 were considered positive. The percentage of participants who were assessed as negative at PET scan 3, after completion of 3 cycles of pembrolizumab monotherapy and phase 1 AVD chemotherapy (2 AVD cycles), is presented.

  5. Number of Participants Who Experienced an Adverse Event (AE)

    Time frame: Up to approximately 31 months

    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. Per protocol, collection and reporting of AEs was based on the study treatment received by the participant (pembrolizumab, AVD chemotherapy, or escBEACOPP chemotherapy) at the time of the event. The number of participants who experienced an AE is reported.

  6. Number of Participants Who Discontinued Study Treatment Due to an AE

    Time frame: Up to approximately 17 months

    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. Per protocol, collection and reporting of AEs was based on the study treatment received by the participant (pembrolizumab, AVD chemotherapy, or escBEACOPP chemotherapy) at the time of the event. The number of participants who discontinued study intervention due to an AE is reported.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC

Industry

Registry information

Official study title

Phase 2 Study of Pembrolizumab and Chemotherapy in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma (KEYNOTE-C11)

Acronym: KEYNOTE-C11

Important dates

Study start
2021
Primary completion
2023
Study completion
2024
First posted
Aug 17, 2021
Registry last updated
Jun 6, 2025

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.

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