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Recruiting Phase 2 NCT06961006

NCT06961006 A Clinical Study of Intismeran Autogene (V940) and Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) in People With Melanoma (V940-012/INTerpath-012)

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Clinical Trial Summary
NCT ID NCT06961006
Status Recruiting
Phase Phase 2
Sponsor Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
Condition Malignant Melanoma
Study Type INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment 160 participants
Start Date 2025-05-29
Primary Completion 2028-07-22

Eligibility & Interventions

Sex All sexes
Min Age 18 Years
Max Age N/A
Study Type INTERVENTIONAL
Interventions
Intismeran autogenePembrolizumabPlacebo

Eligibility Fast-Check

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What to Expect as a Participant

You will actively receive the study intervention — which may be a drug, biologic, device, or procedure.

In Phase 2, researchers evaluate early signs of effectiveness. You may be randomized to receive the active treatment or a comparator. Monitoring continues closely.

This trial targets 160 participants in total. It began in 2025-05-29 with a primary completion date of 2028-07-22.

⚠ This information is for research awareness only. Always consult your physician before joining any clinical trial. Participation is voluntary and you may withdraw at any time.

Brief Summary

Researchers want to learn if intismeran autogene with pembrolizumab can stop advanced melanoma from growing or spreading. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer. Advanced means the cancer has spread to other parts of the body and cannot be removed with surgery. A standard (or usual) treatment for advanced melanoma is immunotherapy. Immunotherapy is a treatment that helps the immune system fight cancer. Intismeran autogene is a study treatment designed to help a person's immune system attack their specific cancer. Pembrolizumab is an immunotherapy. The goal of this study is to learn if people who receive intismeran autogene with pembrolizumab live longer without the cancer growing or spreading than people who receive placebo with pembrolizumab. A placebo looks like the study treatment but has no study treatment in it. Using a placebo helps researchers better understand the effects of a study treatment.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria: The main inclusion criteria include but are not limited to the following: * Has unresectable and histologically confirmed Stage III or IV cutaneous melanoma per American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Eighth Edition guidelines. * Has been untreated for melanoma except if participant received prior adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapy with targeted therapy or immunotherapy (such as anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein \[CTLA-4\], anti-programmed cell death 1 protein \[PD-1\] therapy or interferon), and only if relapse did not occur within 12 months after treatment discontinuation. * Have documentation of serine/threonine-protein kinase B-raf (BRAF) V600-activating mutation status or had BRAF V600 mutation testing per local institutional standards during the screening period (participants with BRAF mutation positive melanoma as well as BRAF wild-type or unknown are eligible). * Have the presence of at least 1 measurable lesion by computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) per Response Criteria in Solid Tumors Version 1.1 (RECIST 1.1) as determined by the local site investigator/radiology assessment. * Provides tumor tissue (preferably from a metastatic site and, if not available, from the primary tumor) that is suitable for next generation sequencing and biomarker analysis as required for this study. * Participants with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) must have well controlled HIV on antiretroviral therapy (ART). * 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 randomization. * Participants with history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are eligible if HCV viral load is undetectable at screening. Exclusion Criteria: The main exclusion criteria include but are not limited to the following: * Has clinically significant heart failure, defined as New York Heart Association class III or IV, within the past 6 months, unless the disease is well controlled in the opinion of the investigator. * HIV-infected participants with a history of Kaposi's sarcoma and/or Multicentric Castleman's Disease. * Has ocular or mucosal melanoma. * Received transfusion of blood products (including platelets or red blood cells) or administration of colony-stimulating factors (including granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor, or recombinant erythropoietin) within 2 weeks of the Screening blood sample (including the blood sample for V940 generation). * Received prior therapy with an anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1, or anti-PD-L2 agent, or with an agent directed to another stimulatory or coinhibitory T-cell receptor (eg, CTLA-4, lymphocyte activation gene 3 \[LAG-3\], tumor necrosis factor receptors \[OX-40 or CD137\]), with some exceptions. * Received prior systemic anticancer therapy for melanoma before randomization, with some exceptions. * Received prior radiotherapy within 2 weeks of start of study intervention or has ongoing radiation related toxicities. * Received a live or live-attenuated vaccine within 30 days before the first dose of study intervention. * Received prior treatment with another universal or personalized cancer vaccine.

Contact & Investigator

Central Contact

Toll Free Number

✉ Trialsites@msd.com

📞 1-888-577-8839

Principal Investigator

Medical Director

STUDY DIRECTOR

Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can join the NCT06961006 clinical trial?

This trial is open to participants of all sexes, aged 18 Years or older, studying Malignant Melanoma. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria are listed in the Eligibility Criteria section. Always confirm your eligibility with the research team before applying.

What phase is the NCT06961006 trial and what does that mean for participants?

Phase 2 trials evaluate whether the treatment shows signs of effectiveness while continuing to monitor safety. More participants are enrolled than in Phase 1 to help refine the treatment protocol.

Is NCT06961006 currently recruiting?

Yes, NCT06961006 is actively recruiting participants. Contact the research team at Trialsites@msd.com for enrollment information.

Where is the NCT06961006 trial being conducted?

This trial is being conducted at Springdale, United States, San Francisco, United States, Hackensack, United States, Fairfax, United States and 11 additional locations.

Who is sponsoring the NCT06961006 clinical trial?

NCT06961006 is sponsored by Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC. The principal investigator is Medical Director at Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC. The trial plans to enroll 160 participants.

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ClinicalMetric — Independent clinical trial intelligence platform. Not affiliated with NIH, ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. FDA, or any pharmaceutical company, hospital, or clinical research organization. Trial data is sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Do not make any treatment, enrollment, or health decisions based solely on information found here — always consult a qualified healthcare professional. Full Disclaimer  ·  Last Reviewed: September 2026  ·  Data Methodology