Updated May 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov
Clinical Trial Evaluating the Safety, Tolerability and Preliminary Efficacy of BNT116 Alone and in Combinations in Patients With Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
LuCa-MERIT-1: First-in-human, Open Label, Phase I Dose Confirmation Trial Evaluating the Safety, Tolerability and Preliminary Efficacy of BNT116 Alone and in Combinations in Patients With Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
Clinical Trial Evaluating the Safety, Tolerability and Preliminary Efficacy of BNT116 Alone and in Combinations in Patients With Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (NCT05142189) is a Phase 1 interventional studying Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, sponsored by BioNTech SE. RECRUITING as of the most recent ClinicalTrials.gov update. Talk to your doctor before contacting the trial site.
About This Trial
This first-in-human (FIH) study for BNT116 aims to establish the safety profile and a safe dose for BNT116 monotherapy as well as for BNT116 in combination with approved medicinal products and/or in combination with investigational medicinal products (IMPs) including, but not limited to, cemiplimab, docetaxel, carboplatin, paclitaxel, osimertinib, anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), rearranged during transfection (RET) TKIs, BNT316 (an anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 \[CTLA-4\] antibody), an anti-B7-H3 antibody conjugated to a topoisomerase I inhibitor, an anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 3 (HER3) antibody conjugated to a topoisomerase I inhibitor or a bispecific antibody for programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) in participants with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The study will comprise several cohorts for dose confirmation in monotherapy as well as in combinations of BNT116 as mentioned above. The study will enroll participants with NSCLC in advanced or metastatic stage in Cohorts 1 to 4 and Cohorts 7 to 10, unresectable NSCLC Stage III in Cohorts 5 and 11, resectable NSCLC of Stage II and III in Cohort 6, advanced/metastatic epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant NSCLC in Cohort EGFR, and advanced/metastatic ALK rearranged or RET rearranged NSCLC in Cohort ALK/RET. Cohort EGFR and Cohort ALK/RET will enroll only at selected sites in the US.
What Stage of Research Is This?
Phase 1 trials test a new treatment for the first time in humans, focusing on safety, dosing, and how the body processes the drug. For Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, a Phase 1 study typically enrolls a small number of participants — often healthy volunteers or patients who have exhausted standard treatment options. Phase 1 results determine whether a treatment moves into larger Phase 2 efficacy studies.
This trial is currently recruiting participants. The sponsor has registered the study with ClinicalTrials.gov as actively enrolling, which means new applicants who meet the eligibility criteria can be considered for screening. Trial status can change between updates — confirm current recruiting status with the study contact before traveling for a screening visit.
A target enrollment of 320 participants makes this a sizable late-stage trial. Studies in this range typically have enough power to detect clinically meaningful differences from a comparator and to characterize less-common side effects.
Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)
These are translations of the protocol\'s inclusion and exclusion criteria, simplified for patients and caregivers. The original clinical text appears below. Eligibility is ultimately confirmed by the trial site\'s screening process — this summary is a starting point for a conversation with your doctor, not a final determination.
Original Eligibility Criteria
View original clinical language
Treatments Being Tested
BNT116
Intravenous injection
Cemiplimab
Intravenous infusion
Docetaxel
Intravenous infusion
Carboplatin
Intravenous infusion
Paclitaxel
Intravenous infusion
BNT316
Intravenous infusion
anti-B7-H3 antibody conjugated to topoisomerase I inhibitor
Intravenous infusion
anti-HER3 antibody conjugated to topoisomerase I inhibitor
Intravenous infusion
Bispecific antibody for PD-L1 and VEGF-A
Intravenous infusion
Osimertinib
Oral
ALK-inhibitor or RET-inhibitor
Oral
Locations (20)
Trial sites listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for this study. Site activation status can vary — confirm with the specific site before traveling for a screening visit.
How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial
Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT05142189), the sponsor (BioNTech SE), and the key eligibility criteria — to your next appointment. Your doctor can review the inclusion and exclusion criteria against your medical history, lab values, and current treatments to assess whether you are likely to qualify. They can also help you weigh whether trial participation makes sense alongside your existing care plan.
Useful questions to walk through together: What does the trial protocol require beyond standard care? How long is the active treatment phase, and how long is follow-up? Are there study visits at sites I can reach? Who pays for the trial-specific procedures, and who pays for standard-of-care portions? See our 25 questions to ask about clinical trials guide for a more complete checklist.
Authoritative Sources
The official record for this trial lives on ClinicalTrials.gov — the federal registry maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. For background on how this trial fits into the FDA approval pathway, see the FDA drug approval process. For oncology-specific guidance for patients considering trials, the National Cancer Institute publishes patient-oriented overviews. International trial registries are aggregated by the WHO ICTRP.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NCT05142189 clinical trial studying?
This first-in-human (FIH) study for BNT116 aims to establish the safety profile and a safe dose for BNT116 monotherapy as well as for BNT116 in combination with approved medicinal products and/or in combination with investigational medicinal products (IMPs) including, but not limited to, cemiplimab, docetaxel, carboplatin, paclitaxel, osimertinib, anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), rearranged during transfection (RET) TKIs, BNT316 (an anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 \[CTLA-4\] antibody), an anti-B7-H3 antibody conjugated to a topoisomerase I in… The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.
Who can participate in NCT05142189?
Eligibility for this trial depends on the specific inclusion and exclusion criteria set by the sponsor. The plain-English summary above translates the most important criteria into accessible language; the official clinical text is preserved in the collapsible section underneath. Whether you fit any specific trial is a medical decision your doctor needs to confirm — bring the trial information to your treating physician for a full review against your medical history.
How do I contact the trial site for NCT05142189?
Contact information registered with ClinicalTrials.gov is shown in the sidebar of this page. Before reaching out, confirm with your treating physician that this trial is appropriate for your situation. The trial site will then walk you through the screening process to determine final eligibility.
Is participating in a clinical trial safe?
Clinical trials in the United States are regulated by the FDA and overseen by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) that review the protocol for safety. Risk varies by trial — Phase 1 studies test new treatments in humans for the first time, while Phase 3 trials use treatments that have already passed earlier safety screening. The informed consent document for any specific trial details the known risks and what to expect. Discuss those risks with your physician before deciding whether to participate.
Where can I verify the data on this page?
Every detail on this page comes directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API. Click "View on ClinicalTrials.gov" in the sidebar to see the official, unmodified record. The federal record is always authoritative; this page is a structured presentation with a plain-English eligibility translation. For background on how clinical trials are regulated, see the FDA drug approval process documentation.
How This Page Is Built
Every field on this page is pulled directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 — no estimates, no proxies. The plain-English eligibility translation is generated from the original protocol text and reviewed for fidelity to the underlying clinical criteria. The original clinical text remains visible in the collapsible section above so users and clinicians can verify the translation. Read the full methodology for the data pipeline and known limitations.
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 record for NCT05142189. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT05142189. Data: ClinicalTrials.gov."
Medical disclaimer: This page is informational, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.
Last updated 2026-05-08 · Data from ClinicalTrials.gov.