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Updated May 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov

RECRUITINGPhase 3INTERVENTIONAL

Pembrolizumab With or Without Maintenance Sacituzumab Tirumotecan (Sac-TMT; MK-2870) in Metastatic Squamous Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) [MK-2870-023]

Phase 3 Study of Pembrolizumab in Combination With Carboplatin/Taxane (Paclitaxel or Nab-paclitaxel) Followed by Pembrolizumab With or Without Maintenance MK-2870 in the First-line Treatment of Metastatic Squamous Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Pembrolizumab With or Without Maintenance Sacituzumab Tirumotecan (Sac-TMT; MK-2870) in Metastatic Squamous Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) [MK-2870-023] (NCT06422143) is a Phase 3 interventional studying Non-small Cell Lung Cancer and NSCLC, sponsored by Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC. 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

This is a phase 3 study of pembrolizumab in combination with carboplatin/taxane (paclitaxel or nab-paclitaxel) followed by pembrolizumab with or without maintenance sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT; MK-2870) in first-line treatment of metastatic squamous non-small cell lung cancer. It is hypothesized that pembrolizumab with maintenance sacituzumab tirumotecan is superior to pembrolizumab without sacituzumab tirumotecan maintenance with respect to overall survival (OS).

What Stage of Research Is This?

Phase 3 trials confirm efficacy and safety in large patient groups (often 300–3,000+) and form the evidence base for an FDA approval submission. For Non-small Cell Lung Cancer, Phase 3 studies typically randomize participants between the investigational treatment and either a placebo or current standard of care. A successful Phase 3 result is the threshold most treatments need to clear before regulatory approval.

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 851 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)

Who May Qualify: - diagnosed by tissue sample (biopsy-confirmed) diagnosis of squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) \[Stage IV: M1a, M1b, M1c, American Joint Committee on Cancer Staging Manual, version 8\] - Measurable disease per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours (RECIST) 1.1 as assessed by the local site investigator/radiology - Has life expectancy ≥3 months - Has Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG PS) score of 0 or 1 assessed within 7 days prior to allocation - Archival tumor tissue sample or newly obtained core, incisional, or excisional biopsy of a tumor lesion not previously irradiated has been provided - Human weakened immune system virus (HIV)-infected participants must have well controlled HIV on antiretroviral therapy (ART) - Participants who are hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive are eligible if they have received hepatitis B virus (HBV) antiviral therapy for at least 4 weeks and have undetectable HBV viral load before allocation - Participants with history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are eligible if HCV viral load is undetectable at screening - Participants who have adverse events (AEs) due to previous anticancer therapies must have recovered to Grade ≤1 or baseline (participants with endocrine-related AEs who are adequately treated with hormone replacement are eligible) - Has your organs (liver, kidneys, etc.) are working well enough based on blood tests - For Maintenance only (prior to randomization): is without disease progression of their NSCLC, as determined by BICR using RECIST 1.1 after completion of study-specified Induction with an evaluable scan at Week 12 or most recent scan before randomization - For Maintenance only (prior to randomization): has ECOG PS of 0 or 1 as assessed at the Prerandomization Visit ...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: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) \[Stage IV: M1a, M1b, M1c, American Joint Committee on Cancer Staging Manual, version 8\] * Measurable disease per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours (RECIST) 1.1 as assessed by the local site investigator/radiology * Has life expectancy ≥3 months * Has Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG PS) score of 0 or 1 assessed within 7 days prior to allocation * Archival tumor tissue sample or newly obtained core, incisional, or excisional biopsy of a tumor lesion not previously irradiated has been provided * Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected participants must have well controlled HIV on antiretroviral therapy (ART) * Participants who are hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive are eligible if they have received hepatitis B virus (HBV) antiviral therapy for at least 4 weeks and have undetectable HBV viral load before allocation * Participants with history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are eligible if HCV viral load is undetectable at screening * Participants who have adverse events (AEs) due to previous anticancer therapies must have recovered to Grade ≤1 or baseline (participants with endocrine-related AEs who are adequately treated with hormone replacement are eligible) * Has adequate organ function * For Maintenance only (prior to randomization): is without disease progression of their NSCLC, as determined by BICR using RECIST 1.1 after completion of study-specified Induction with an evaluable scan at Week 12 or most recent scan before randomization * For Maintenance only (prior to randomization): has ECOG PS of 0 or 1 as assessed at the Prerandomization Visit * For Maintenance only (prior to randomization): all AEs (with the exception of alopecia, Grade ≤2 fatigue, Grade ≤2 peripheral neuropathy, and Grade ≤2 endocrine-related AEs requiring treatment or hormone replacement) have recovered Exclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of small cell lung cancer or, for mixed tumors, presence of small cell elements * History of documented severe dry eye syndrome, severe Meibomian gland disease and/or blepharitis, or severe corneal disease that prevents/delays corneal healing * Active inflammatory bowel disease requiring immunosuppressive medication or previous history of inflammatory bowel disease (eg, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, or chronic diarrhea) * Has uncontrolled, significant cardiovascular disease or cerebrovascular disease including New York Heart Association Class III or IV congestive heart failure, unstable angina, myocardial infarction, uncontrolled symptomatic arrhythmia, prolongation of QTcF interval to \>480 ms, and other serious cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases within 6 months before study intervention * HIV-infected participants who have been newly diagnosed or with a history of Kaposi's sarcoma and/or Multicentric Castleman's Disease * Received prior systemic chemotherapy or other targeted or biological antineoplastic therapy for their metastatic NSCLC. Note: Prior treatment with chemotherapy and/or radiation as a part of neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy or chemoradiation therapy for nonmetastatic NSCLC is allowed as long as therapy was completed at least 12 months before diagnosis of metastatic NSCLC * Received prior therapy with an anti-programmed cell death 1 protein (PD-1), anti-programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), or anti programmed cell death ligand 2 (PD-L2) agent, or with an agent directed to another stimulatory or coinhibitory T-cell receptor (eg, cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4, OX-40, CD137). Note: Prior treatment with an anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 agent for nonmetastatic NSCLC is allowed as long as therapy was completed at least 12 months before diagnosis of metastatic NSCLC * Received prior treatment with a trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (TROP2)-targeted antidrug conjugate (ADC) * Received radiation therapy to the lung that is \>30 Gray within 6 months of start of study intervention * Received prior radiotherapy within 2 weeks of start of study intervention, or radiation-related toxicities, requiring corticosteroids * Received a live or live-attenuated vaccine within 30 days before the first dose of study intervention * Participants who have not adequately recovered from major surgery or have ongoing surgical complications * Received prior treatment with a topoisomerase I inhibitor-containing ADC * Is currently receiving a strong inducer/inhibitor of CYP3A4 that cannot be discontinued for the duration of the study (the required washout period before starting sac-TMT is 2 weeks) * Has a known additional malignancy that is progressing or has required active treatment within the past 3 years. * Has known central nervous system (CNS) metastases/carcinomatous meningitis * Severe hypersensitivity (≥Grade 3) to study intervention and/or any of its excipients or to another biologic therapy * Active autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment in the past 2 years (replacement therapy \[eg, thyroxine, insulin, or physiologic corticosteroid\] is allowed) * History of (noninfectious)pneumonitis/interstitial lung disease that required steroids or has current pneumonitis/interstitial lung disease * Active infection requiring systemic therapy * History of allogeneic tissue/solid organ transplant

Treatments Being Tested

BIOLOGICAL

Pembrolizumab

Intravenous (IV) infusion

BIOLOGICAL

sac-TMT

IV infusion

DRUG

Carboplatin

Participants receive AUC 6 or AUC 5 mg/mL/min IV infusion on Day 1 of each 21-day cycle for 4 cycles as background therapy during the study.

DRUG

Paclitaxel

Participants receive 200 mg/m\^2 or 175 mg/m\^2 IV infusion on Day 1 of each 21-day cycle for 4 cycles as background therapy during the study.

DRUG

Nab-paclitaxel

Participants receive 100 mg/m\^2 IV infusion on Days 1, 8 and 15 of each 21-day cycle for 4 cycles as background therapy during the study.

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.

CARTI Cancer Center ( Site 0006)
Little Rock, Arkansas, United States
Roy and Patricia Disney Family Cancer Center - Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center ( Site 0122)
Burbank, California, United States
Exempla Lutheran Medical Center ( Site 0119)
Golden, Colorado, United States
Intermountain Health St. Mary's Regional Hospital ( Site 0116)
Grand Junction, Colorado, United States
Mid Florida Hematology and Oncology Center ( Site 0109)
Orange City, Florida, United States
Centricity Research Columbus Cancer Center ( Site 0111)
Columbus, Georgia, United States
Northwest Georgia Oncology Centers, a Service of Wellstar Cobb Hospital ( Site 0001)
Marietta, Georgia, United States
Southeastern Regional Medical Center ( Site 0004)
Newnan, Georgia, United States
University of Chicago Medical Center ( Site 0145)
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Allina Health Cancer Institute - Abbott Northwestern Hospital ( Site 0146)
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
New Mexico Oncology Hematology Consultants Ltd. ( Site 0123)
Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center ( Site 0135)
Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
St Luke's University Health Network ( Site 0017)
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States
Thomas Jefferson University - Clinical Research Institute ( Site 0147)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Memorial Hermann Cancer Center ( Site 0015)
Houston, Texas, United States
Oncology Consultants P.A. ( Site 0124)
Houston, Texas, United States
Mays Cancer Center ( Site 0132)
San Antonio, Texas, United States
Instituto Alexander Fleming ( Site 0203)
Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Instituto de Investigaciones Clínicas Mar del Plata ( Site 0200)
Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Instituto Médico Río Cuarto ( Site 0204)
Río Cuarto, Córdoba Province, Argentina

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT06422143), the sponsor (Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC), 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 NCT06422143 clinical trial studying?

This is a phase 3 study of pembrolizumab in combination with carboplatin/taxane (paclitaxel or nab-paclitaxel) followed by pembrolizumab with or without maintenance sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT; MK-2870) in first-line treatment of metastatic squamous non-small cell lung cancer. It is hypothesized that pembrolizumab with maintenance sacituzumab tirumotecan is superior to pembrolizumab without sacituzumab tirumotecan maintenance with respect to overall survival (OS). The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.

Who can participate in NCT06422143?

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 NCT06422143?

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 NCT06422143. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT06422143. 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.