Active — Not RecruitingPhase 1

A Study to Test Whether Treatment With BI 770371 in Combination With Pembrolizumab With or Without Cetuximab Helps People With Head and Neck Cancer Compared With Pembrolizumab Alone

United States, Australia, Brazil91 participantsStarted 2025-05-14

Plain-language summary

This study is open to adults with head and neck cancer. The purpose of this study is to find out whether combining different study medicines makes tumors shrink in people with head and neck cancer. The tested medicines in this study are antibodies that act in different ways against cancer. BI 770371 and pembrolizumab may help the immune system fight cancer. Cetuximab blocks growth signals and may prevent the tumor from growing. Participants are put into 3 groups randomly. Each group receives a different combination of study medicines. All study medicines are given as an infusion into a vein at the study site. Participants can stay in the study as long as they benefit from treatment. Doctors regularly check the size of the tumor and check whether it has spread to other parts of the body. The doctors also regularly check participants' health and take note of any unwanted effects.

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: * Patients with histologically confirmed metastatic or recurrent HNSCC of the primary tumour location of oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx not amenable to locoregional treatment with curative intent. * Willingness to provide pretreatment (baseline) biopsy/tissue to the sponsor (fresh or archival one). A newly obtained biopsy is preferred but an archival sample is acceptable, with tumor tissue (formalin fixed paraffin embedded \[FFPE\] block preferred, or at least 10 freshly sectioned unstained FFPE slides) from a core or excisional biopsy. Any deviation from this rule requires approval by the sponsor. Details on the requirements for archival tumour tissue and on biopsy sample collection are provided in the Laboratory Manual. * Patients who have not received prior systemic treatment for metastatic or recurrent HNSCC. Systemic therapy (including cetuximab) which was completed more than 6 months prior to progression of disease if given as part of multimodal treatment for locally advanced disease is allowed. * Patients who do not have contraindications to pembrolizumab monotherapy according to pembrolizumab local label, guidelines, treatment standards, regulations or the document (label of another country if pembrolizumab local label is not available) provided in the investigator site file (ISF) by the sponsor. * Patients who do not have contraindications to treatment with cetuximab according to cetuximab local label, guidelines, treatment stan…

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

Objective response (OR) with confirmation

Timeframe: Up to 27 months

Trial details

NCT IDNCT06806852

SponsorBoehringer Ingelheim

Sponsor typeINDUSTRY

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2027-08-31

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma trials