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Updated June 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov

RECRUITINGPhase 2INTERVENTIONAL

Neo IRENIE (NEOadjuvant Ipilimumab, RElatlimab, NIvolumab Evaluation)

A Phase II, Multicentre, Parallel Group, Open Label, Randomised Clinical Trial of Neoadjuvant Nivolumab and Ipilimumab Combined With Relatlimab for Patients With Resectable Advanced Melanoma Identified as Poor Responders to Immunotherapy

Neo IRENIE (NEOadjuvant Ipilimumab, RElatlimab, NIvolumab Evaluation) (NCT06999980) is a Phase 2 interventional studying Cutaneous Melanoma and Mucosal Melanoma, sponsored by Melanoma Institute Australia. 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 clinical trial is for patients with stage 3 cutaneous melanoma and patients with mucosal melanoma who are able to have surgery to remove all tumour deposits. To improve the chance that melanoma will not recurr, new experimental combinations of a type of treatment called immunotherapy will be given before surgery.

What Stage of Research Is This?

Phase 2 trials evaluate whether a treatment actually works against Cutaneous Melanoma and continue monitoring side effects. Phase 2 enrolls larger groups (typically 100–300 patients) and produces the first real efficacy signal. A successful Phase 2 readout is what unlocks the much larger Phase 3 confirmatory trials needed for FDA 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 494 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)

COMMON Inclusion Criteria Applicable to all 3 cohorts Who May Qualify: - 1\. Written willing to sign a consent form - 2\. Male or female patients who are at least 18 years of age on the day of signing willing to sign a consent form. - 3\. Clinically detectable disease, and/or RECIST version 1.1 defined disease, and/or disease confirmed on PET imaging. - 4\. Fully resectable disease defined as having no significant vascular, central nervous system or bony involvement. Only cases where a complete surgical resection leading to tumour free margins and which is safely achieved is considered "resectable". - 5\. Concurrent primary disease and lymph node metastases acceptable provided completely resectable. - 6\. Up to 3 in-transit metastases are permitted as long as these are fully resectable. - 7\. Tumour that is amenable to a newly obtained core biopsy for performance of the multi-omic predictive biomarker model - 8\. You should be able to carry out daily activities with 0 level of ability (ECOG 0) to 1. - 9\. Adequate haematological, hepatic, renal and endocrine function - 10\. An anticipated life expectancy of \>12 months. - 11\. Women of child bearing potential (WOCBP) must agree to avoid pregnancy or breast feeding for the duration of study treatment. Inclusion Criteria - Cohort 1 only - a. diagnosed by tissue sample (biopsy-confirmed) diagnosis of cutaneous melanoma or unknown primary melanoma - b. AJCC 8th Ed Stage IIIB, IIIC, IIID cutaneous melanoma - c. No prior systemic treatment for cutaneous melanoma - d. Completion of the multi-omic predictive biomarker model within 14 days (7-10 business days) of planned randomisation. Inclusion Criteria - Cohort 2 only - a. diagnosed by tissue sample (biopsy-confirmed) diagnosis of cutaneous melanoma or unknown primary melanoma - b. AJCC 8th Ed Stage IIIB, IIIC, IIID cutaneous melanoma ...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
COMMON Inclusion Criteria Applicable to all 3 cohorts Inclusion Criteria: * 1\. Written informed consent * 2\. Male or female patients who are at least 18 years of age on the day of signing informed consent. * 3\. Clinically detectable disease, and/or RECIST version 1.1 defined disease, and/or disease confirmed on PET imaging. * 4\. Fully resectable disease defined as having no significant vascular, central nervous system or bony involvement. Only cases where a complete surgical resection leading to tumour free margins and which is safely achieved is considered "resectable". * 5\. Concurrent primary disease and lymph node metastases acceptable provided completely resectable. * 6\. Up to 3 in-transit metastases are permitted as long as these are fully resectable. * 7\. Tumour that is amenable to a newly obtained core biopsy for performance of the multi-omic predictive biomarker model * 8\. ECOG performance status of 0 to 1. * 9\. Adequate haematological, hepatic, renal and endocrine function * 10\. An anticipated life expectancy of \>12 months. * 11\. Women of child bearing potential (WOCBP) must agree to avoid pregnancy or breast feeding for the duration of study treatment. Inclusion Criteria - Cohort 1 only * a. Histologically confirmed diagnosis of cutaneous melanoma or unknown primary melanoma * b. AJCC 8th Ed Stage IIIB, IIIC, IIID cutaneous melanoma * c. No prior systemic treatment for cutaneous melanoma * d. Completion of the multi-omic predictive biomarker model within 14 days (7-10 business days) of planned randomisation. Inclusion Criteria - Cohort 2 only * a. Histologically confirmed diagnosis of cutaneous melanoma or unknown primary melanoma * b. AJCC 8th Ed Stage IIIB, IIIC, IIID cutaneous melanoma * c. Disease progression on neoadjuvant anti-PD-1 monotherapy, where progressed disease is completely resectable or, disease recurrence on adjuvant anti-PD-1 monotherapy, where recurrent disease is completely resectable * d. No prior treatment with CTLA-4 or LAG-3 inhibitors. Inclusion Criteria - Cohort 3 only * a. Histologically confirmed diagnosis of mucosal melanoma * b. Any stage of disease provided it is fully resectable * c. No prior systemic treatment for mucosal melanoma COMMON Exclusion Criteria Applicable to all 3 cohorts * 1\. Uveal melanoma * 2\. Any contraindication to the administration of relatlimab, ipilimumab or nivolumab * 3\. No prior systemic therapy, including treatment with prior anti-PD1/L1, anti-CTLA-4 or anti-LAG-3 therapy (cohorts 1 and 3), except for cohort 2 which will have received anti-PD1 monotherapy only. * 4\. A diagnosis of immunodeficiency or is receiving chronic systemic steroid therapy (in dosing exceeding 10 mg daily of prednisone equivalent) or any other form of immunosuppressive therapy within 14 days of randomisation. The following are permitted: 1. Replacement therapy (e.g. thyroxine, insulin, or physiologic corticosteroid replacement therapy for adrenal or pituitary insufficiency, etc) 2. Inhaled or intranasal corticosteroids (with minimal systemic absorption) may be continued if patient is on a stable dose 3. Non-absorbed intra-articular steroid injections. * 5\. An active autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment in the past 12 months (i.e. with use of disease modifying agents, corticosteroids or immunosuppressive drugs). The following are permitted: 1. Vitiligo 2. Type I diabetes mellitus 3. Residual autoimmune hypothyroidism on stable hormone replacement 4. Resolved childhood asthma or atopy 5. Psoriasis not requiring systemic treatment 6. Autoimmune conditions which are not expected to recur in the absence of an external trigger. * 6\. A known additional malignancy that is progressing or has required active treatment within the past 3 years. The following malignancies, if undergone successful definitive resection or curative treatment, are permitted: 1. Basal cell carcinoma of the skin 2. Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin 3. Carcinoma in situ (e.g. breast carcinoma, cervical cancer in situ) that have undergone potentially curative therapy) 4. Prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia 5. In situ melanoma 6. Atypical melanocytic hyperplasia 7. Multiple primary melanomas 8. Other malignancies for which the patient has been disease free for 1 year. * 7\. A known CNS metastases and/or carcinomatous meningitis * 8\. Has a history of (non-infectious) pneumonitis/interstitial lung disease that required steroids or has current pneumonitis or current interstitial lung disease. * 9\. Has an active infection requiring systemic therapy. * 10\. Has a known history of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Note: no testing for HIV is required unless mandated by local health authority. * 11\. Has a known history of Hepatitis B (defined as Hepatitis B surface antigen \[HBsAg\] reactive) or known active Hepatitis C virus (defined as HCV RNA \[qualitative\] is detected) infection. Note: no testing for Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C is required unless mandated by local health authority. * 12\. Has a known history of active TB (Bacillus Tuberculosis). * 13\. Uncontrolled or significant cardiovascular disease including, but not limited to any of the following: 1. Myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke/transient ischemic attack within the 6 months prior to consent 2. Uncontrolled angina within the 3 months prior to consent 3. Any history of clinically significant arrhythmias (such as poorly controlled atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, or torsades de pointes) 4. QTc prolongation \> 480 ms 5. History of other clinically significant cardiovascular disease (i.e. cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure with New York Heart Association functional classification III-IV, pericarditis, significant pericardial effusion, significant coronary stent occlusion, poorly controlled venous thrombosis, etc) 6. Cardiovascular disease-related requirement for daily supplemental oxygen 7. History of 2 or more M.I.s OR 2 or more coronary revascularisation procedures (regardless of the number of stent placements during each procedure) 8. Patients with history of myocarditis, regardless of aetiology. * 14\. Patients with a \>1+ proteinuria on urine dipstick testing unless a 24-hour urine collection for quantitative assessment indicates that the urine protein is \<1 g/24 hours. * 15\. Has a history or current evidence of any condition, therapy, or laboratory abnormality that might confound the results of the study, interfere with the patient's participation for the full duration of the study, or is not in the best interest of the patient to participate, in the opinion of the treating investigator. * 16\. Has known psychiatric or substance abuse disorders that would interfere with cooperation with the requirements of the trial. * 17\. Pregnant or breast feeding females * 18\. Concurrent medical or social conditions that may prevent the patient from attending assessments per schedule

Treatments Being Tested

DRUG

Ipilimumab 3mg/kg and nivolumab 1mg/kg

Neoadjuvant for 2 doses on days 1 and 22

DRUG

Ipilimumab 1mg/kg Nivolumab 480mg and relatlimab 160mg

Neoadjuvant for 2 doses at days 1 and 29

DRUG

Nivolumab 480mg and relatlimab 160mg

Neoadjuvant for 2 doses on days 1 and 29

DRUG

Ipilimumab 1mg/kg and nivolumab 3mg/kg

Neoadjuvant for 2 doses at days 1 and 22

DRUG

Pembrolizumab 200 mg

Neoadjuvant for 2 doses at days 1 and 22

Locations (1)

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.

Melanoma Institute Australia
Wollstonecraft, New South Wales, Australia

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT06999980), the sponsor (Melanoma Institute Australia), 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 NCT06999980 clinical trial studying?

This clinical trial is for patients with stage 3 cutaneous melanoma and patients with mucosal melanoma who are able to have surgery to remove all tumour deposits. To improve the chance that melanoma will not recurr, new experimental combinations of a type of treatment called immunotherapy will be given before surgery. The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.

Who can participate in NCT06999980?

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 NCT06999980?

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 NCT06999980. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT06999980. 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 2026-06-26 · Data from ClinicalTrials.gov.