Study of Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) Versus Chemotherapy in Participants With Advanced Melanoma (MK-3475-002/P08719/KEYNOTE-002)
Malignant Melanoma

About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Malignant Melanoma focused on measuring Programmed Cell Death-1 (PD1, PD-1), Programmed Death-Ligand 1 (PDL1, PD-L1)
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Histologically or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of unresectable Stage III or metastatic MEL not amenable to local therapy
- Participants must be refractory to ipilimumab
- Participants with BRAF gene mutant melanoma must have had a prior treatment regimen that included vemurafenib, dabrafenib, or an approved BRAF gene and/or mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK) protein inhibitor
- Must consent to allow correlative studies; must provide a newly obtained tissue/biopsy specimen (or specimen obtained within 60 days of consenting)
- Radiographically measurable disease
- Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1
Exclusion Criteria:
- Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or biological cancer therapy within 4 weeks prior to the first dose of study drug, or not recovered from the AEs due to cancer therapies administered more than 4 weeks earlier
- Disease progression within 24 weeks of last dose of ipilimumab
- Participating or has participated in a study of an investigational agent or using an investigational device within 30 days of the first dose of study drug
- Expected to require any other form of systemic or localized antineoplastic therapy while on study
- Chronic systemic steroid therapy within 2 weeks before the planned date for first dose randomized treatment or on any other form of immunosuppressive medication
- Known history of any other than the current malignancy excepting adequately treated basal or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, superficial bladder cancer, in situ cervical cancer, breast cancer, or other in situ cancers
- Known active central nervous system (CNS) metastases and/or carcinomatous meningitis
- Active autoimmune disease or a history of autoimmune disease or syndrome that requires systemic steroids or immunosuppressive agents
- Prior treatment with any other anti-programmed cell death (PD) agent
- Active infection requiring systemic therapy
- Known history of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
- Active Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C
- Regular user (including recreational use of) illicit drugs or had a recent history (within the last year) of substance abuse (including alcohol)
- Pregnant or breastfeeding, or expecting to conceive or father children within the projected duration of the study through 120 days after last dose of study drug
Sites / Locations
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Arm 3
Arm 4
Arm 5
Experimental
Experimental
Active Comparator
Experimental
Experimental
Pembrolizumab 2 mg/kg
Pembrolizumab 10 mg/kg
Investigator-Choice Chemotherapy (ICC)
ICC→Pembrolizumab 2 mg/kg
ICC→Pembrolizumab 10 mg/kg
Participants were initially randomized to receive pembrolizumab 2 mg/kg intravenously (IV) once every 3 weeks (Q3W). With Amendment 03, this dosing was discontinued and all study participants were to be treated with fixed-dose open label pembrolizumab 200 mg IV Q3W. Participants were to receive study drug until discontinuation due to progression of disease, toxicity, or choice. (Up to ~66 months)
Participants were initially randomized to receive pembrolizumab 10 mg/kg IV Q3W. With Amendment 03, this dosing was discontinued and all study participants were to be treated with fixed-dose open label pembrolizumab 200 mg IV Q3W. Participants were to receive study drug until discontinuation due to progression of disease, toxicity, or choice. (Up to ~66 months)
Participants were initially randomized to receive 1 of 4 possible chemotherapy regimens decided at the treating institution (carboplatin+paclitaxel, paclitaxel alone, dacarbazine, or temozolomide). Participants were to receive study drug until discontinuation due to progression of disease, toxicity, or choice. (Up to ~66 months)
Participants who were initially randomized to ICC, subsequently experienced confirmed progressive disease (PD) and met all switching criteria at study treatment Week 12, had the opportunity to switch to receive pembrolizumab 2 mg/kg or 10 mg/kg. Participants received pembrolizumab 2 mg/kg IV Q3W. With Amendment 03, this dosing was discontinued and all study participants were to be treated with fixed-dose open label pembrolizumab 200 mg IV Q3W. Participants were to receive study drug until discontinuation due to PD, toxicity, or choice. (Up to ~66 months)
Participants who were initially randomized to ICC, subsequently experienced confirmed progressive disease (PD) and met all switching criteria at study treatment Week 12, had the opportunity to switch to receive pembrolizumab 2 mg/kg or 10 mg/kg. Participants received pembrolizumab 10 mg/kg IV Q3W. With Amendment 03, this dosing was discontinued and all study participants were to be treated with fixed-dose open label pembrolizumab 200 mg IV Q3W. Participants were to receive study drug until discontinuation due to PD, toxicity, or choice. (Up to ~66 months)