← Back to Search

Alkylating agents

Immunotherapy + Chemotherapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Phase 3

Recruiting

Led By Jacob M Sands

Research Sponsored by National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Eligibility Criteria Checklist

Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial

Must have

No active auto-immune disease that has required systemic treatment within the last 2 years

No prior allogeneic tissue/solid organ transplant

Must not have

History of active malignancy

History of any lymphoproliferative disorder

Timeline

Screening 3 weeks

Treatment Varies

Follow Up up to 10 years

Awards & highlights

No Placebo-Only Group

Pivotal Trial

Summary

This trial is testing the addition of the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab to usual chemotherapy for the treatment of stage IIA, IIB IIIA or IIIB non-small cell lung cancer.

Who is the study for?

This trial is for adults with stage IIA, IIB, IIIA or IIIB non-small cell lung cancer that's been surgically removed. Participants must have recovered from surgery, not had prior lung cancer treatments, and have no active infections or serious illnesses. They should not be pregnant/nursing and must agree to contraception due to potential risks of the treatment.

What is being tested?

The ALCHEMIST trial is testing if adding pembrolizumab (an immunotherapy drug) to standard chemotherapy improves survival in patients who've had surgery for certain stages of non-small cell lung cancer. It explores whether this combination can better help the immune system fight remaining cancer cells.

What are the potential side effects?

Pembrolizumab may cause immune-related side effects like inflammation in various organs, infusion reactions, fatigue, skin rash and digestive issues. Chemotherapy drugs involved may lead to hair loss, nausea/vomiting, increased risk of infection and blood count changes.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

You may be eligible if you check “Yes” for the criteria below

Select...

I haven't needed treatment for an autoimmune disease in the last 2 years.

Select...

I have not had a transplant of tissue or an organ from another person.

Select...

My lung cancer was surgically removed with clear margins.

Select...

I am a woman who can still have children and have not been through menopause for 12 months.

Select...

I am not pregnant or breastfeeding.

Select...

My cancer has been tested for PD-L1 using specific methods.

Select...

I have never had hepatitis B or C.

Select...

I have not received initial treatment for my current lung cancer.

Select...

I don't have any serious ongoing illnesses or heart problems.

Select...

I have never needed steroids for lung inflammation.

Select...

I am fully active or can carry out light work.

Select...

I am 18 years old or older.

Select...

I don't have an active, progressing second cancer that needed treatment in the last 3 years.

Exclusion Criteria

You may be eligible for the trial if you check “No” for criteria below:

Select...

I have a history of cancer.

Select...

I have had a condition where lymphocytes are produced in excessive amounts.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks3 visits

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~ up to 10 years

Screening ~ 3 weeks

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~up to 10 years

This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and up to 10 years for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.

Primary study objectives

Disease free survival (DFS)

Secondary study objectives

DFS between each of the arms

Incidence of adverse events

OS between each of the arms

+1 more

Other study objectives

Patient-reported QOL

Patient-reported dyspnea and coughing

Patient-reported quality of life (QOL)

Side effects data

From 2024 Phase 3 trial • 804 Patients • NCT03040999

64%

Radiation skin injury

63%

Stomatitis

58%

Anaemia

56%

Nausea

48%

Dry mouth

45%

Constipation

45%

Weight decreased

44%

Dysphagia

42%

Neutrophil count decreased

33%

Dysgeusia

33%

Vomiting

32%

Fatigue

31%

White blood cell count decreased

28%

Hypomagnesaemia

26%

Decreased appetite

25%

Hypothyroidism

25%

Hypokalaemia

24%

Lymphocyte count decreased

24%

Platelet count decreased

23%

Oropharyngeal pain

23%

Blood creatinine increased

22%

Diarrhoea

22%

Odynophagia

20%

Hypoacusis

20%

Alanine aminotransferase increased

20%

Hyponatraemia

19%

Tinnitus

19%

Oral candidiasis

19%

Asthenia

16%

Pyrexia

16%

Cough

15%

Aspartate aminotransferase increased

15%

Rash

14%

Insomnia

13%

Acute kidney injury

13%

Pharyngeal inflammation

13%

Pruritus

12%

Dysphonia

12%

Gamma-glutamyltransferase increased

11%

Pneumonia

11%

Dehydration

10%

Hyperthyroidism

10%

Hypoalbuminaemia

10%

Hypocalcaemia

10%

Headache

10%

Productive cough

Neck pain

Peripheral sensory neuropathy

Gastrooesophageal reflux disease

Hiccups

Hyperglycaemia

Hyperuricaemia

Dizziness

Hypophosphataemia

Urinary tract infection

Ear pain

Localised oedema

Hyperkalaemia

Erythema

Oral pain

Abdominal pain upper

Arthralgia

Anxiety

Febrile neutropenia

Dyspepsia

Saliva altered

Back pain

Oedema peripheral

Hypertension

Dyspnoea

Nasopharyngitis

Alopecia

Dry skin

Sepsis

Pneumonia aspiration

Trismus

Pneumonitis

Laryngeal oedema

Malnutrition

Pharyngeal haemorrhage

Cellulitis

Septic shock

Systemic infection

Clostridium difficile colitis

Cardiac arrest

Death

Bronchitis

Hepatitis

Immune-mediated hepatitis

Oesophagitis

General physical health deterioration

Hypophagia

Tumour haemorrhage

Cerebrovascular accident

Syncope

Acute respiratory failure

Aspiration

Colitis

Mouth haemorrhage

Hypersensitivity

Acute myocardial infarction

Abscess neck

Device related infection

Stoma site infection

Vascular device infection

Wound infection

Hypercalcaemia

Pulmonary embolism

Respiratory failure

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

Study treatment Arm

Pembrolizumab + CRT Followed by Pembrolizumab

Placebo + CRT Followed by Placebo

Awards & Highlights

No Placebo-Only Group

All patients enrolled in this study will receive some form of active treatment.

Pivotal Trial

The final step before approval, pivotal trials feature drugs that have already shown basic safety & efficacy.

Trial Design

3Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Active Control

Group I: Arm C (platinum doublet, combination pembrolizumab)Experimental Treatment12 Interventions

INITIAL THERAPY: Patients receive 1 of 4 platinum doublet regimens\* based on the treating physician's choice of each cycle and pembrolizumab IV over 25-40 minutes on day 1 of each cycle or for cycles 1 and 3 (patients enrolled after 10/14/2020). Treatment repeats every 21 days for 4 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. CONTINUANCE THERAPY: Patients then receive pembrolizumab IV over 25-40 minutes on day 1 of each cycle. Treatment repeats every 21 days for 13 cycles or every 6 weeks for 12 cycles (patients enrolled after 10/14/2020) in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo ECHO as clinically indicated during screening and on the trial. Patients may undergo a MRI during screening and as clinically indicated on the trial, as well as CT and blood sample collection throughout the trial.

Group II: Arm B (platinum doublet, sequential pembrolizumab)Experimental Treatment12 Interventions

INITIAL THERAPY: Patients receive 1 of 4 platinum doublet regimens\* based on the treating physician's choice of each cycle and pembrolizumab IV over 25-40 minutes on day 1 of each cycle or for cycles 1 and 3 (patients enrolled after 10/14/2020). Treatment repeats every 21 days for 4 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. CONTINUANCE THERAPY: Patients then receive pembrolizumab IV over 25-40 minutes on day 1 of each cycle. Treatment repeats every 21 days for 13 cycles or every 6 weeks for 12 cycles (patients enrolled after 10/14/2020) in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo ECHO as clinically indicated during screening and on the trial. Patients may undergo MRI during screening and as clinically indicated on the trial, as well as CT and blood sample collection throughout the trial.

Group III: Arm A (platinum doublet, observation)Active Control12 Interventions

INITIAL THERAPY: Patients receive 1 of 4 platinum doublet regimens based on the treating physician's choice of each cycle. Treatment repeats every 21 days for 4 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. CONTINUANCE THERAPY: Patients then undergo observation. Patients also undergo ECHO as clinically indicated during screening and on the trial. Patients may undergo MRI during screening and as clinically indicated on the trial, as well as CT and blood sample collection throughout the trial. (CLOSED AS OF UPDATE #7)

Treatment

First Studied

Drug Approval Stage

How many patients have taken this drug

Carboplatin

2014

Completed Phase 3

~6120

Cisplatin

2013

Completed Phase 3

~3120