Phase 1b/2 Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Combination Therapy With Pembrolizumab and Irinotecan in Patients With Metastatic or Recurrent Malignant Melanoma

NCT07817901 | Not Yet Recruiting Phase 1

• 1 other identifier: 4-2026-0382
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 46
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

This is a single-center, open-label, single-arm Phase 1b/2 clinical trial designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of pembrolizumab in combination with irinotecan in patients with metastatic melanoma who have relapsed at least 6 months after completion of adjuvant pembrolizumab therapy or who are immune checkpoint inhibitor-naïve. The study consists of two sequential parts: a Phase 1b safety lead-in and a Phase 2 efficacy evaluation using Simon's optimal two-stage design. During the Phase 1b portion, six patients will be enrolled to assess the initial safety and tolerability of the combination regimen. Dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) will be evaluated during the first two treatment cycles (42 days). Following completion of the safety observation period, a safety review will be conducted. If fewer than two of six patients experience a DLT, the regimen will be considered adequately tolerable and the study will proceed to the Phase 2 portion. Patients enrolled in the Phase 1b portion will be included in the efficacy analysis of Phase 2. In the Phase 2 portion, efficacy will be evaluated using Simon's optimal two-stage design with objective response rate (ORR) as the primary endpoint. The null hypothesis ORR is 30%, and the alternative hypothesis ORR is 50%, with a one-sided type I error rate of 5% and 80% power. In Stage 1, a total of 15 evaluable patients, including the six patients enrolled during the Phase 1b portion, will be assessed. If five or fewer objective responses are observed, the study will be terminated early for futility. If six or more responses are observed, additional patients will be enrolled in Stage 2. A total of 46 patients will be enrolled, and the regimen will be considered worthy of further investigation if at least 19 objective responses are observed. Participants will receive pembrolizumab 200 mg intravenously on Day 1 of each 21-day cycle. Irinotecan 125 mg/m² will be administered intravenously on Days 1 and 8 beginning in Cycle 2. Cycle 1 consists of pembrolizumab monotherapy to allow evaluation of early immunologic changes induced by PD-1 blockade without potential interference from irinotecan. Blood and tumor samples will be collected at baseline and prior to irinotecan administration on Cycle 2 Day 1 for translational immune analyses. Tumor assessments will be performed according to RECIST version 1.1 every 6 weeks during the first year and every 12 weeks thereafter. The primary endpoint is objective response rate (ORR). Secondary endpoints include disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), dose-limiting toxicity (DLT), and safety and tolerability as assessed by the incidence of adverse events graded according to CTCAE version 5.0. Exploratory analyses will evaluate tumor microenvironment characteristics and peripheral blood immune biomarkers, including immune cell phenotypes, cytokine profiles, and potential biomarkers associated with treatment response and resistance.

Conditions

Unresectable or Metastatic Melanoma

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Overall Response Rate

  Tumor response will be assessed according to RECIST version 1.1. ORR is defined as the proportion of patients achieving a complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) as their best overall response.

  up to 24 months.

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Disease Control Rate (DCR)

  up to 5 years.

• Progression-Free Survival (PFS)

  up to 5 years.

• Overall Survival (OS)

  Up to 5 years

• Safety and Tolerability

  up to 24 months.

Study Arms (1)

Pembrolizumab Plus Irinotecan Combination Therapy

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will receive pembrolizumab 200 mg intravenously on Day 1 of each 21-day cycle. Cycle 1 consists of pembrolizumab monotherapy to evaluate early immune changes induced by PD-1 blockade. Beginning in Cycle 2, irinotecan 125 mg/m² will be administered intravenously on Days 1 and 8 in combination with pembrolizumab. The study consists of a Phase 1b safety lead-in followed by a Phase 2 efficacy evaluation using Simon's optimal two-stage design. Treatment will continue until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, withdrawal of consent, investigator decision, or completion of a maximum of 35 cycles.

Drug: Pembrolizumab and Irinotecan

Interventions

Pembrolizumab and Irinotecan DRUG

Participants will receive pembrolizumab 200 mg intravenously on Day 1 of each 21-day cycle. Cycle 1 consists of pembrolizumab monotherapy, and irinotecan 125 mg/m² will be added on Days 1 and 8 from Cycle 2 onward. The study includes a Phase 1b safety lead-in and a Phase 2 efficacy evaluation using Simon's optimal two-stage design. Treatment will continue for up to 35 cycles or until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or study discontinuation.

Pembrolizumab Plus Irinotecan Combination Therapy

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 19 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Patients with histologically confirmed non-uveal melanoma, diagnosed as Stage IV or unresectable Stage III melanoma.
• Age ≥19 years at the time of signing the informed consent form.
• Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0-1.
• Patients must be treatment-naïve in the metastatic or unresectable setting (first-line setting) and meet at least one of the following criteria:
• A. No prior systemic therapy in the metastatic or unresectable setting. B. Patients who previously received pembrolizumab or other immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) as adjuvant therapy, and subsequently experienced relapse or metastasis ≥6 months (180 days) after the last dose, provided that no additional systemic therapy was administered after recurrence in the metastatic setting.
• Patients with CNS metastases must have stable neurological function without evidence of CNS progression within 4 weeks prior to enrollment (i.e., treated/controlled or asymptomatic CNS metastases, or resected CNS metastases without radiographic evidence of disease).
• Female subjects of childbearing potential must have a negative serum or urine pregnancy test during the screening period. If the urine test result is positive or inconclusive, a serum pregnancy test must be performed.
• Patients must have measurable disease per RECIST v1.1 (lesions previously irradiated may be considered measurable if disease progression at the site is documented).
• Adequate organ function as defined below:
• Table 2. Organ Function Requirements Hematological Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥1,500/μL Platelets ≥100,000/μL Hemoglobin ≥9.0 g/dL or ≥5.6 mmol/L Renal Serum creatinine ≤1.5 × ULN or If creatinine \>1.5 × ULN: creatinine clearance (CrCl) ≥40 mL/min (GFR may be used in place of creatinine or CrCl) Hepatic Total bilirubin ≤1.5 × ULN or If total bilirubin \>1.5 × ULN: direct bilirubin ≤ ULN (Exception: Gilbert's syndrome - total bilirubin \<3 × ULN and ALT \<3 × ULN) AST (SGOT) and ALT (SGPT) ≤2.5 × ULN (≤5 × ULN in patients with hepatic metastasis) Coagulation International normalized ratio (INR) or prothrombin time (PT), and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) ≤1.5 × ULN, unless the subject is receiving anticoagulant therapy, in which case PT or aPTT must be within the therapeutic range of intended anticoagulation.

You may not qualify if:

• Female subjects of childbearing potential (WOCBP) with a positive urine pregnancy test within 72 hours prior to study enrollment (see Appendix 3). If the urine test is positive or inconclusive, a serum pregnancy test must be performed.
• Receipt of radiotherapy within 2 weeks prior to initiation of study intervention. Subjects must have recovered from all radiation-related toxicities, not require corticosteroids, and have no evidence of radiation pneumonitis. For palliative radiotherapy to non-CNS disease (\<2 weeks duration), a 1-week washout period is permitted.
• Receipt of a live or live-attenuated vaccine within 30 days prior to the first dose of study drug. Inactivated vaccines are allowed.
• Participation in another clinical study or receipt of systemic therapy (e.g., cytotoxic chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or investigational agents) within 4 weeks prior to the first dose of study intervention.
• Diagnosis of immunodeficiency, or receipt of chronic systemic steroid therapy (\>10 mg/day prednisone equivalent) or other immunosuppressive therapy within 7 days prior to the first dose.
• In addition, subjects with a history of autoimmune disease requiring systemic treatment (e.g., disease-modifying agents, corticosteroids, immunosuppressants) within the past 2 years are excluded.
• Exceptions include physiologic replacement therapy (e.g., thyroxine, insulin, or corticosteroid replacement for adrenal or pituitary insufficiency), which are permitted.
• Presence of another active malignancy or malignancy requiring treatment within the past 3 years.
• Exceptions include adequately treated basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, or carcinoma in situ (except carcinoma in situ of the bladder).
• Symptomatic CNS metastases or carcinomatous meningitis. Subjects with previously treated CNS metastases may participate if they are radiographically stable (no progression for ≥4 weeks on repeat imaging during screening), clinically stable, and do not require steroid treatment for at least 14 days prior to the first dose.
• Known severe hypersensitivity (≥ Grade 3) to pembrolizumab.
• History of (non-infectious) pneumonitis/interstitial lung disease requiring steroids, or current pneumonitis/interstitial lung disease.
• Active infection requiring systemic therapy.
• Active hepatitis B (HBsAg positive and/or detectable HBV DNA) or hepatitis C infection (anti-HCV positive with detectable HCV RNA).
• Any medical condition or evidence of disease that may confound study results or interfere with study participation, as judged by the investigator.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Yonsei University: lead

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Melanoma

Interventions

pembrolizumab; Irinotecan

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Neuroendocrine Tumors; Neuroectodermal Tumors; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal; Neoplasms by Histologic Type; Neoplasms; Neoplasms, Nerve Tissue; Nevi and Melanomas; Skin Neoplasms; Neoplasms by Site; Skin Diseases; Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Camptothecin; Alkaloids; Heterocyclic Compounds

Central Study Contacts

Sang Joon Shin, Professor

CONTACT

+82-2-2228-8138; ssj338@yuhs.ac

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: phase 1
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 8, 2026
• First Posted: September 14, 2026
• Study Start (Estimated): November 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 8, 2028
• Last Updated: September 14, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share