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Updated May 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov

RECRUITINGPhase 1 / Phase 2INTERVENTIONAL

Substudy 06D: Combination Therapies in Second Line (2L) Gastroesophageal Adenocarcinoma (MK-3475-06D/Keymaker-U06)

A Phase 1/2 Open-Label, Umbrella Platform Design Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Investigational Agents in Combination With Standard of Care Treatments as the Second-Line Treatment of Participants With Advanced/Metastatic Gastroesophageal Adenocarcinoma: Substudy 06D

Substudy 06D: Combination Therapies in Second Line (2L) Gastroesophageal Adenocarcinoma (MK-3475-06D/Keymaker-U06) (NCT06445972) is a Phase 1 / Phase 2 interventional studying Gastroesophageal Junction and Gastroesophageal Adenocarcinoma, 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 1/2 multicenter, open-label umbrella platform study that will evaluate the safety and efficacy of sacituzumab tirumotecan (MK-2870) plus paclitaxel versus ramucirumab plus paclitaxel, and HER3-DXD plus ramucirumab versus ramucirumab plus paclitaxel for the treatment of participants with advanced or metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma, gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma, or esophageal adenocarcinoma who have failed 1 prior line of therapy. This is an estimation study, and no formal hypothesis testing will be performed.

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 Gastroesophageal Junction, 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 210 participants puts this in the typical range for a Phase 2-style efficacy study or a moderate Phase 3 trial in a focused Gastroesophageal Junction 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: The main inclusion criteria include but are not limited to the following: - Has histologically and/or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of previously treated, second line (2L) (received first line (1L) treatment) gastric adenocarcinoma, gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma, or esophageal adenocarcinoma - Has metastatic disease or locally advanced, unresectable disease - Has experienced documented objective radiographic or clinical disease progression during or after 1L therapy containing any platinum/fluoropyrimidine doublet with or without immunotherapy - Tumor tissue must be confirmed as negative for HER2 expression (IHC 0/1+ or IHC2+/in situ hybridization negative) as classified by American Society of Clinical Oncology/College of American Pathologists (ASCO-CAP) guidelines - Can provide a core/excisional biopsy of a tumor lesion not previously irradiated (collected from a biopsy performed after the most recent systemic anticancer therapy regimen) - AEs due to previous anticancer therapies must be ≤Grade 1 or baseline (except alopecia and vitiligo). Endocrine-related AEs adequately treated with hormone replacement are acceptable - Has Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1 - Has a expected to live at least 3 months - 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 prior to allocation/randomization - Participants with history of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection are eligible if HCV viral load is undetectable at screening - Human weakened immune system Virus (HIV)-infected participants must have well controlled HIV on antiretroviral therapy Who Should NOT Join This Trial: The main exclusion criteria include but are not limited to the following: - Has squamous cell or undifferentiated gastroesophageal cancer ...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: The main inclusion criteria include but are not limited to the following: * Has histologically and/or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of previously treated, second line (2L) (received first line (1L) treatment) gastric adenocarcinoma, gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma, or esophageal adenocarcinoma * Has metastatic disease or locally advanced, unresectable disease * Has experienced documented objective radiographic or clinical disease progression during or after 1L therapy containing any platinum/fluoropyrimidine doublet with or without immunotherapy * Tumor tissue must be confirmed as negative for HER2 expression (IHC 0/1+ or IHC2+/in situ hybridization negative) as classified by American Society of Clinical Oncology/College of American Pathologists (ASCO-CAP) guidelines * Can provide a core/excisional biopsy of a tumor lesion not previously irradiated (collected from a biopsy performed after the most recent systemic anticancer therapy regimen) * AEs due to previous anticancer therapies must be ≤Grade 1 or baseline (except alopecia and vitiligo). Endocrine-related AEs adequately treated with hormone replacement are acceptable * Has Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1 * Has a life expectancy of at least 3 months * 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 prior to allocation/randomization * Participants with history of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection are eligible if HCV viral load is undetectable at screening * Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-infected participants must have well controlled HIV on antiretroviral therapy Exclusion Criteria: The main exclusion criteria include but are not limited to the following: * Has squamous cell or undifferentiated gastroesophageal cancer * Has experienced weight loss \>20% over 3 months before the first dose of study intervention * Has history of documented severe dry eye syndrome, severe Meibomian gland disease and/or blepharitis, or severe corneal disease that prevents/delays corneal healing * Has Grade ≥2 peripheral neuropathy * Has active inflammatory bowel disease requiring immunosuppressive medication or previous history of inflammatory bowel disease * Has a serious or nonhealing wound or peptic ulcer or bone fracture within 28 days prior to allocation/randomization * Has a bowel obstruction, history or presence of inflammatory enteropathy or extensive intestinal resection (hemicolectomy or extensive small intestine resection with chronic diarrhea) * Has uncontrolled, significant cardiovascular disease or cerebrovascular disease * Has experienced any arterial thrombotic event, including myocardial infarction, unstable angina, cerebrovascular accident, or transient ischemic attack, within 6 months prior to allocation/randomization * Has uncontrolled arterial hypertension ≥150/≥90 mm mercury (Hg) * Has accumulation of pleural, ascitic, or pericardial fluid requiring drainage or diuretic drugs within 2 weeks prior to enrollment * Has undergone major surgery within 28 days prior to allocation/randomization, or central venous access device placement within 7 days prior to allocation/randomization or planned major surgery following initiation of study treatment * Is receiving therapeutic anticoagulation with warfarin, low-molecular weight heparin or similar agents * Is receiving chronic therapy with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents or other antiplatelet agents * Has a history of deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, or any other significant thromboembolism during the 3 months prior to allocation/randomization * Has significant bleeding disorders, vasculitis, or had a significant bleeding episode from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract within 3 months prior to study entry * Has history of GI perforation and/or fistulae within 6 months prior to allocation/randomization * HIV-infected participants with a history of Kaposi's sarcoma and/or Multicentric Castleman's Disease * Has received prior treatment with a trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (TROP2)- or HER3-targeted agent, topoisomerase 1 inhibitor-based ADC and/or a topoisomerase 1 inhibitor-based chemotherapy, or any previous systemic therapy targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) or the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) signaling pathways * Has received prior systemic anticancer therapy within 4 weeks before the first dose of study intervention * Has received prior radiotherapy within 2 weeks of start of study intervention, or has radiation-related toxicities, requiring corticosteroids * Has received a live or live-attenuated vaccine within 30 days before the first dose of study intervention. Administration of killed vaccines is allowed * Has received an investigational agent or has used an investigational device within 4 weeks prior to study intervention administration * Has known additional malignancy that is progressing or has required active treatment within the past 3 years. Basal cell carcinoma of the skin, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, or carcinoma in situ, excluding carcinoma in situ of the bladder, that have undergone potentially curative therapy are not excluded * Has known active central nervous system metastases and/or carcinomatous meningitis * Has an active infection requiring systemic therapy * Has concurrent active Hepatitis B (defined as HBsAg positive and/or detectable HBV deoxyribonucleic acid) and Hepatitis C virus (defined as anti-HCV antibody positive and detectable HCV ribonucleic acid) infection * History of (noninfectious) pneumonitis/interstitial lung disease that required steroids or has current pneumonitis/interstitial lung disease, or where suspected ILD or pneumonitis cannot be ruled out by imaging at screening * Has severe hypersensitivity (Grade ≥3) to MK-2870, or HER3-DXd, any of their excipients, and/or to another biologic therapy * Has not adequately recovered from major surgery or have ongoing surgical complications

Treatments Being Tested

BIOLOGICAL

Ramucirumab

8 mg/kg IV Infusion

DRUG

Paclitaxel

80 mg/M\^2 IV infusion

BIOLOGICAL

Sacituzumab Tirumotecan

3 mg/kg or 4 mg/kg IV Infusion

DRUG

Rescue Medications

Participants receive rescue medications according to each approved drug's product label. Recommended rescue medications for the Sacituzumab Tirumotecan + Paclitaxel arm include antihistamines (histamine-1 and histamine-2 receptor antagonists), acetaminophen or equivalent, dexamethasone or equivalent infusion, and steroid mouth wash (dexamethasone or equivalent) and rescue medications for the HER3-DXd + ramucirumab arm include 5-HT3-receptor antagonist, NK-1 receptor antagonist, and corticosteroids.

BIOLOGICAL

HER3-DXd

IV Infusion

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.

University of Arizona Cancer Center-University of Arizona Cancer Center ( Site 8927)
Tucson, Arizona, United States
UCLA Hematology/Oncology - Santa Monica ( Site 8905)
Los Angeles, California, United States
Norton Cancer Institute - Downtown ( Site 8900)
Louisville, Kentucky, United States
The Cancer and Hematology Centers ( Site 8912)
Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States
Hematology-Oncology Associates of Central NY, P.C. ( Site 8925)
East Syracuse, New York, United States
Columbia University Irving Medical Center-CUIMC Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center Clinical ( Site 8907)
New York, New York, United States
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center-UPMC ( Site 8904)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center ( Site 8920)
Houston, Texas, United States
Liga Norte Riograndense Contra o Câncer ( Site 8303)
Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição ( Site 8301)
Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
IBCC - Instituto Brasileiro de Controle do Câncer ( Site 8304)
São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Clínica Puerto Montt ( Site 8409)
Port Montt, Los Lagos Region, Chile
Centro de Investigación del Maule ( Site 8408)
Talca, Maule Region, Chile
FALP-UIDO ( Site 8400)
Santiago, Region M. de Santiago, Chile
Centro de Oncología de Precisión-Oncology ( Site 8404)
Santiago, Region M. de Santiago, Chile
Clínica UC San Carlos de Apoquindo ( Site 8405)
Santiago, Region M. de Santiago, Chile
Bradfordhill-Clinical Area ( Site 8401)
Santiago, Region M. de Santiago, Chile
Bradford Hill Norte ( Site 8407)
Antofagasta, Chile
Beijing Cancer hospital-Digestive Oncology ( Site 7500)
Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China
The 900th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army ( Site 7501)
Fuzhou, Fujian, China

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT06445972), 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 NCT06445972 clinical trial studying?

This is a phase 1/2 multicenter, open-label umbrella platform study that will evaluate the safety and efficacy of sacituzumab tirumotecan (MK-2870) plus paclitaxel versus ramucirumab plus paclitaxel, and HER3-DXD plus ramucirumab versus ramucirumab plus paclitaxel for the treatment of participants with advanced or metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma, gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma, or esophageal adenocarcinoma who have failed 1 prior line of therapy. This is an estimation study, and no formal hypothesis testing will be performed. The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.

Who can participate in NCT06445972?

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 NCT06445972?

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 NCT06445972. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT06445972. 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.