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Updated May 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov

RECRUITINGPhase 1 / Phase 2INTERVENTIONAL

Safety, Tolerability, and Preliminary Efficacy of CJRB-101 With Pembrolizumab in Subjects With Selected Types of Advanced or Metastatic Cancer

Phase 1/2 Open Label, Safety and Preliminary Efficacy Study of a Live Biotherapeutic Product (CJRB-101) in Combination With Pembrolizumab in Subjects With Selected Types of Advanced or Metastatic Cancer

Safety, Tolerability, and Preliminary Efficacy of CJRB-101 With Pembrolizumab in Subjects With Selected Types of Advanced or Metastatic Cancer (NCT05877430) is a Phase 1 / Phase 2 interventional studying NSCLC and HNSCC, sponsored by CJ Bioscience, Inc.. RECRUITING as of the most recent ClinicalTrials.gov update. Talk to your doctor before contacting the trial site.

Important: This information is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

About This Trial

Study CJB-101-01 will be conducted at multiple centers in the USA and Republic of Korea as an open-label safety and preliminary efficacy study of CJRB-101 in combination with pembrolizumab in subjects with selected types of advanced or metastatic cancer. The proposed study intends to address the unmet medical needs of low response rate and refractoriness to immune checkpoint inhibitors typically observed in this subject population by performing assessments of response, dose limiting toxicities, pharmacodynamic, and the effect on microbiome biomarkers at different dose levels of CJRB-101 combined with pembrolizumab.

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 NSCLC, 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.

Target enrollment of 160 participants puts this in the typical range for a Phase 2-style efficacy study or a moderate Phase 3 trial in a focused NSCLC subpopulation. At this scale, the study has enough statistical power to detect a clear treatment effect but is not the largest cohort in the field.

Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)

Who May Qualify: 1. Willing and able to provide willing to sign a consent form 2. ≥18 years of age at the time of signing the willing to sign a consent form form 3. Pathologically documented histological or cytological evidence of NSCLC, HNSCC, or melanoma. 4. Has at least 1 measurable target lesion per RECIST v1.1 that has not been resected/biopsied/or irradiated before enrollment in the study 5. Diagnosis of locally advanced unresectable or metastatic NSCLC, HNSCC, or melanoma in subjects who are ICI treatment-naive or relapsed/refractory, including PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors 6. ICI treatment-naive subjects must meet the following criteria: 1. NSCLC: Subjects with metastatic or with unresectable, recurrent NSCLC whose tumors must have no EGFR or ALK genomic aberrations and express PD-L1 \[TPS≥50%\] 2. HNSCC: Subjects with metastatic or with unresectable, recurrent HNSCC whose tumors express PD-L1 \[CPS ≥20\] 3. Melanoma: Irrespective of PD-L1 result and BRAF V600 mutation 4. Subjects has not received prior systemic treatment for their metastatic tumor. Subjects who received adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapy are eligible if the adjuvant/neoadjuvant therapy was completed at least 6 months before the development of metastatic disease. 7. ICI treatment-refractory subjects as defined by the following criteria: 1. Has received at least 2 cycles of anti-PD-(L)1 therapy either as monotherapy or in combination 2. Has demonstrated disease progression after ICI treatment by RECIST v1.1 3. Has received less than three lines of systemic therapy for metastatic tumor 8. You should be able to carry out daily activities with 0 level of ability (ECOG 0) or 1 9. Be willing to provide archival tissue or fresh biopsy 10. Have your organs (liver, kidneys, etc.) are working well enough based on blood tests 11. All Grade 3 or greater AEs resolved earlier to Grade 2 or less Who Should NOT Join This Trial: 1. Cancer type and genomic tumor aberrations: ...See full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov Always talk to your doctor about whether this trial is right for you.

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
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Willing and able to provide informed consent 2. ≥18 years of age at the time of signing the informed consent form 3. Pathologically documented histological or cytological evidence of NSCLC, HNSCC, or melanoma. 4. Has at least 1 measurable target lesion per RECIST v1.1 that has not been resected/biopsied/or irradiated before enrollment in the study 5. Diagnosis of locally advanced unresectable or metastatic NSCLC, HNSCC, or melanoma in subjects who are ICI treatment-naive or relapsed/refractory, including PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors 6. ICI treatment-naive subjects must meet the following criteria: 1. NSCLC: Subjects with metastatic or with unresectable, recurrent NSCLC whose tumors must have no EGFR or ALK genomic aberrations and express PD-L1 \[TPS≥50%\] 2. HNSCC: Subjects with metastatic or with unresectable, recurrent HNSCC whose tumors express PD-L1 \[CPS ≥20\] 3. Melanoma: Irrespective of PD-L1 result and BRAF V600 mutation 4. Subjects has not received prior systemic treatment for their metastatic tumor. Subjects who received adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapy are eligible if the adjuvant/neoadjuvant therapy was completed at least 6 months before the development of metastatic disease. 7. ICI treatment-refractory subjects as defined by the following criteria: 1. Has received at least 2 cycles of anti-PD-(L)1 therapy either as monotherapy or in combination 2. Has demonstrated disease progression after ICI treatment by RECIST v1.1 3. Has received less than three lines of systemic therapy for metastatic tumor 8. ECOG performance status of 0 or 1 9. Be willing to provide archival tissue or fresh biopsy 10. Have adequate organ function 11. All Grade 3 or greater AEs resolved earlier to Grade 2 or less Exclusion Criteria: 1. Cancer type and genomic tumor aberrations: 1. NSCLC subjects with EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations 2. HNSCC subjects with nasopharyngeal cancer 2. For ICI refractory/relapsed subjects: Immune related AEs ≥Grade 3 that led to discontinuation of prior immune-modulatory agents including PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors 3. With uncontrolled or untreated brain metastasis or leptomeningeal disease 4. Active autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment in the past 2 years 5. Received a fecal transplant 6. Concurrent participation in another interventional clinical study or use of another investigational agent within 30 days of study consent 7. Contraindication to IV contrast that cannot be managed with pre-medication 8. Female subjects who are pregnant or breastfeeding 9. Male subjects who are unwilling or unable to use an acceptable method of birth control to avoid pregnancy 10. Has a known inability for oral intake of capsules 11. Has received a live vaccine within 4 weeks of start of the study treatment 12. Diagnosis of prior immunodeficiency or organ transplant requiring immunosuppressive therapy 13. Has received whole blood transfusion, blood component transfusion, or colony stimulating factors within 1 week prior to the 1st dose of study treatment 14. In the judgment of the investigator, subjects unlikely to comply with study procedures, restrictions and requirements 15. Has active interstitial lung disease (ILD)/pneumonitis or a history of ILD/pneumonitis requiring treatment with systemic steroids 16. Have allergy to clindamycin, erythromycin, and ampicillin 17. Has signs and symptoms of colitis at screening 18. Infection requiring systemic antibacterial, antifungal, or antiviral therapy within 14 days before study treatment (Note: Antiviral therapy is permitted for subjects with chronic HBV or HCV infection) 19. Untreated chronic hepatitis B or chronic HBV carriers with HBV DNA\>500 IU/mL (or \>2500 copies/mL) at screening (Note: Inactive hepatitis B surface antigen (HbsAg) carriers, treated and stable hepatitis B (HBV DNA \< 500 IU/mL or \< 2500 copies/mL) can be enrolled. Subjects with detectable HbsAg or detectable HBV DNA should be managed per treatment guidelines. Subjects receiving antivirals at screening should have been treated for \> 2 weeks before study treatment.) 20. With active hepatitis C (Note: Subjects with a negative HCV antibody test at screening or positive HCV antibody test followed by a negative HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA) test at screening are eligible. The HCV RNA test will be performed only for subjects testing positive for HCV antibody. Subjects receiving antivirals at screening should have been treated for \> 2 weeks before study treatment.) 21. Known history of HIV infection 22. History of active inflammatory bowel disease with diarrhea believed to be caused by active inflammatory bowel disease in the past 12 months 23. Major surgery for any reason, except diagnostic biopsy, within 4 weeks of study informed consent and or if the subject has not fully recovered from the surgery within 4 weeks of informed consent 24. History of major gastrointestinal surgery 25. History or current evidence of any condition, therapy, or laboratory abnormality that might confound the results of the trial 26. Currently active, clinically significant cardiovascular disease 27. Known active intravenous drug or alcohol abuse or use of other drugs of abuse 28. Has any contraindication as mentioned in the recent Keytruda, Highlights of Prescribing Information (pembrolizumab)

Treatments Being Tested

DRUG

CJRB-101

In Phase 1, one or two capsules of CJRB-101 will be given every day. In Phase 2, the CJRB-101 dose selected from Phase 1 will be given every day.

DRUG

Pembrolizumab injection

200 mg given by intravenous (IV) infusion once every 3 weeks

Locations (4)

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.

University of California, Irvine
Irvine, California, United States
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Samsung Medical Center
Seoul, South Korea
Severance Hospital
Seoul, South Korea

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT05877430), the sponsor (CJ Bioscience, Inc.), 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 NCT05877430 clinical trial studying?

Study CJB-101-01 will be conducted at multiple centers in the USA and Republic of Korea as an open-label safety and preliminary efficacy study of CJRB-101 in combination with pembrolizumab in subjects with selected types of advanced or metastatic cancer. The proposed study intends to address the unmet medical needs of low response rate and refractoriness to immune checkpoint inhibitors typically observed in this subject population by performing assessments of response, dose limiting toxicities, pharmacodynamic, and the effect on microbiome biomarkers at different dose levels of CJRB-101 combin… The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.

Who can participate in NCT05877430?

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 NCT05877430?

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 NCT05877430. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT05877430. 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.