CompletedPhase 1

Phase Ib of L-NMMA and Pembrolizumab

United States12 participantsStarted 2018-08-27

Plain-language summary

The purpose of this Phase Ib study is to test the safety of NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA) and pembrolizumab when used together in participants with melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL), urothelial carcinoma, Cervical Cancer, Esophageal Cancer, Gastric Cancer, Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Merkel Cell Carcinoma, Primary Mediastinal Large B-cell Lymphoma, Renal Cell Carcinoma, Small Cell Lung Cancer, microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H)/mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) cancer or for the Treatment of Adult Patients with Unresectable or Metastatic Tumor Mutational Burden-High Solid Tumors. Pembrolizumab is a type of treatment that stimulates the immune system to attack cancer cells. The immune system is normally the body's first defense against threats like cancer. However, sometimes cancer cells produce signals like programmed death-1 (PD-1) that prevent the immune system from detecting and killing them. Pembrolizumab blocks PD-1 so your immune system can detect and attack cancer cells. To help further boost the cancer-fighting ability of your immune system, L-NMMA will be used along with pembrolizumab. L-NMMA is a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor. The presence of nitric oxide synthase in the area around the cancer cells blocks the cancer-fighting ability of the immune system. Thus, the use of L-NMMA and pembrolizumab together may make the immune system work harder to attack and destroy the cancer cells.

Who can participate

Age range

18 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * Female or male aged ≥ 18 years on the day of informed consent signing; * Has histologically confirmed metastatic melanoma that is treatment naïve or has relapsed after or is refractory to ipilimumab or BRAF inhibitor (if BRAF mutation-positive), OR histologically confirmed metastatic NSCLC that has high programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression (tumor proportion score \[TPS\] ≥50%) with no epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) genomic tumor aberrations or histologically confirmed metastatic NSCLC that is PD-L1 positive (TPS ≥1%) and has progressed on or after platinum-containing therapy (subjects with NSCLC harboring EGFR/ALK genomic aberrations must have received an FDA-approved targeted therapy for these aberrations) OR histologically confirmed HNSCC that has relapsed after or is refractory to platinum-containing chemotherapy, OR histologically confirmed cHL that has relapsed after three or more lines of therapy or is refractory to treatment OR histologically confirmed locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma that is not eligible for platinum-containing chemotherapy or that has relapsed after or is refractory to platinum-containing chemotherapy OR histologically confirmed advanced, PD-L1-positive cervical cancer with disease progression on or after chemotherapy that is not eligible for platinum-containing chemotherapy or that has relapsed after or is refractory to platinum-containing chemotherapy OR …

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD)

Timeframe: 18 weeks

Trial details

NCT IDNCT03236935

SponsorThe Methodist Hospital Research Institute

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2021-10-31

Results submitted2025-12-19

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer trials