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Updated May 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov

RECRUITINGPhase 3INTERVENTIONAL

A Phase 3 Study to Evaluate Petosemtamab Compared With Investigator's Choice Monotherapy in Previously Treated Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients

A Phase 3 Open-label, Randomized Controlled Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Petosemtamab Compared With Investigator's Choice Monotherapy Treatment in Previously Treated Patients With Incurable, Metastatic/Recurrent Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

A Phase 3 Study to Evaluate Petosemtamab Compared With Investigator's Choice Monotherapy in Previously Treated Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients (NCT06496178) is a Phase 3 interventional studying Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma, sponsored by Merus B.v.. 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 open-label, randomized, controlled, multicenter study to compare petosemtamab vs investigator's choice monotherapy in HNSCC patients for the second- and third-line treatment of incurable metastatic/recurrent disease.

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 Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma, 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 500 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: - Signed ICF before initiation of any study procedures. - Age ≥ 18 years at signing of ICF. - Histologically previously confirmed HNSCC with evidence of metastatic or locally advanced disease not amenable to standard therapy with curative intent. - HNSCC patients progressed on or after anti-PD-1 therapy and platinum-containing therapy. - The eligible HNSCC primary tumor locations are oropharynx, oral cavity, hypopharynx, and larynx. - Documentation of p16 status (positive or negative) by local laboratory IHC for patients with primary oropharyngeal cancer. - A baseline new tumor sample unless the patient has an available tumor sample as an FFPE block with sufficient material. - Measurable disease as defined by RECIST v1.1 by radiologic methods. - ECOG PS of 0 or 1 - Life expectancy ≥ 12 weeks, as per investigator - your organs (liver, kidneys, etc.) are working well enough based on blood tests (as per protocol) Who Should NOT Join This Trial: - cancer that has spread to the brain that are untreated or symptomatic, or require radiation, surgery, or continued steroid therapy to control symptoms within 14 days of study entry. - Known leptomeningeal involvement - Any systemic anticancer therapy within 4 weeks of the first dose of study treatment. - Major surgery or radiotherapy within 3 weeks of the first dose of study treatment. - Persistent Grade \>1 clinically significant toxicities related to prior antineoplastic therapies - History of hypersensitivity reaction to any of the excipients of treatment required for this study. - Unstable angina; history of congestive heart failure of Class II-IV New York Heart Association (NYHA) criteria, or serious cardiac arrhythmia requiring treatment or history of myocardial infarction within 6 months of study entry ...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: * Signed ICF before initiation of any study procedures. * Age ≥ 18 years at signing of ICF. * Histologically previously confirmed HNSCC with evidence of metastatic or locally advanced disease not amenable to standard therapy with curative intent. * HNSCC patients progressed on or after anti-PD-1 therapy and platinum-containing therapy. * The eligible HNSCC primary tumor locations are oropharynx, oral cavity, hypopharynx, and larynx. * Documentation of p16 status (positive or negative) by local laboratory IHC for patients with primary oropharyngeal cancer. * A baseline new tumor sample unless the patient has an available tumor sample as an FFPE block with sufficient material. * Measurable disease as defined by RECIST v1.1 by radiologic methods. * ECOG PS of 0 or 1 * Life expectancy ≥ 12 weeks, as per investigator * Adequate organ function (as per protocol) Exclusion Criteria: * Central nervous system metastases that are untreated or symptomatic, or require radiation, surgery, or continued steroid therapy to control symptoms within 14 days of study entry. * Known leptomeningeal involvement * Any systemic anticancer therapy within 4 weeks of the first dose of study treatment. * Major surgery or radiotherapy within 3 weeks of the first dose of study treatment. * Persistent Grade \>1 clinically significant toxicities related to prior antineoplastic therapies * History of hypersensitivity reaction to any of the excipients of treatment required for this study. * Unstable angina; history of congestive heart failure of Class II-IV New York Heart Association (NYHA) criteria, or serious cardiac arrhythmia requiring treatment or history of myocardial infarction within 6 months of study entry * History of prior malignancies with the exception of excised cervical intraepithelial neoplasia or nonmelanoma skin cancer, or curatively treated cancer deemed at low risk for recurrence with no evidence of disease * Current dyspnea at rest of any origin, or other diseases requiring continuous oxygen therapy * Current serious illness or medical conditions including, but not limited to, uncontrolled active infection, clinically significant pulmonary, metabolic or psychiatric disorders * Patients with known infectious diseases (as per protocol) * Pregnant or breastfeeding patients * Patient has a primary tumor site of nasopharynx (any histology).

Treatments Being Tested

DRUG

Petosemtamab

MCLA-158

DRUG

Investigator's Choice

Cetuximab

DRUG

Investigator's Choice

Methotrexate

DRUG

Investigator's Choice

Docetaxel

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.

Site 160
Mobile, Alabama, United States
Site 102
Prescott, Arizona, United States
Site 125
Scottsdale, Arizona, United States
Site 82
Duarte, California, United States
Site 25
La Jolla, California, United States
Site 173
Orange, California, United States
Site 28
Palo Alto, California, United States
Site 127
Sacramento, California, United States
Site 46
San Francisco, California, United States
Site 130
Lone Tree, Colorado, United States
Site 104
Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States
Site 12
Fort Myers, Florida, United States
Site 123
Jacksonville, Florida, United States
Site 9
Orlando, Florida, United States
Site 138
Tampa, Florida, United States
Site 187
Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Site 207
Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Site 152
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Site 68
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Site 31
Indianapolis, Indiana, United States

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT06496178), the sponsor (Merus B.v.), 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 NCT06496178 clinical trial studying?

This is a phase 3 open-label, randomized, controlled, multicenter study to compare petosemtamab vs investigator's choice monotherapy in HNSCC patients for the second- and third-line treatment of incurable metastatic/recurrent disease. The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.

Who can participate in NCT06496178?

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 NCT06496178?

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 NCT06496178. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT06496178. 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.