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Recruiting Phase 3 NCT05947851

NCT05947851 A Study of Nemtabrutinib Plus Venetoclax vs Venetoclax + Rituximab (VR) in Second-line (2L) + Relapsed/Refractory (R/R) Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma (CLL/SLL) (MK-1026-010/BELLWAVE-010).

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Clinical Trial Summary
NCT ID NCT05947851
Status Recruiting
Phase Phase 3
Sponsor Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
Condition Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell
Study Type INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment 735 participants
Start Date 2023-08-08
Primary Completion 2032-06-01

Eligibility & Interventions

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

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.

Phase 3 trials are large pivotal studies comparing the treatment to current standard of care or placebo. Your participation directly contributes to the evidence needed for regulatory approval.

This trial targets 735 participants in total. It began in 2023-08-08 with a primary completion date of 2032-06-01.

⚠ 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

The purpose of this study is to assess the safety and tolerability and to confirm the dose of nemtabrutinib in combination with venetoclax in participants with R/R CLL/SLL. The primary study hypotheses are that the combination of nemtabrutinib plus venetoclax is superior to VR with respect to progression-free survival (PFS) per 2018 International Workshop on Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (iwCLL) criteria as assessed by blinded independent central review (BICR).

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria: * Confirmed diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) and active disease clearly documented to initiate therapy * Deletion (Del) (17p) status, tumor protein 53 (TP53) mutation status, and immunoglobulin heavy chain gene (IGHV) mutation status results required before randomization for Part 2 participants only * Relapsed or refractory to at least 1 prior available therapy * Have at least 1 marker of disease burden * Has an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 to 2 within 7 days before randomization * Has a life expectancy of at least 3 months * Has the ability to swallow and retain oral medication * 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 deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) viral load before randomization * Participants with history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are eligible if HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA) viral load is undetectable at screening * Participants with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who meet ALL eligibility criteria * Participants with adequate organ function with specimens collected within 7 days before the start of study intervention * If capable of producing sperm, participant agrees to eliminate Nemtabrutinib: 12 days, Venetoclax: 1 month (30 days), Rituximab (rituximab biosimilar): not applicable; abstains from penile-vaginal intercourse as their preferred and usual lifestyle; OR uses prescribed contraception * Participant assigned female sex at birth are eligible to participate if not pregnant or breastfeeding and are not a person of childbearing potential (POCBP) OR is a POCBP and uses a contraceptive method that is highly effective, has a negative highly sensitive pregnancy test, and abstains from breastfeeding Exclusion Criteria: * Has an active hepatitis B virus/ hepatitis C virus (HBV/HCV) infection * Has gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction that may affect drug absorption * Has a known additional malignancy that is progressing or has required active treatment within the past 2 years * Has diagnosis of Richter Transformation or active central nervous system (CNS) involvement by CLL/SLL * Has an active infection requiring systemic therapy, such as intravenous (IV) antibiotics, during screening * HIV-infected participants with a history of Kaposi's sarcoma and/or Multicentric Castleman's Disease and/or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)-defining opportunistic infection in the past 12 months before screening * Clinically significant cardiovascular disease * Has a known allergy/sensitivity to nemtabrutinib or contraindication to venetoclax/rituximab (or rituximab biosimilar), or any of the excipients * Has history of severe bleeding disorders (eg, hemophilia) * Has received prior systemic anticancer therapy within 5 half-lives or 4 weeks (if prior therapy was a monoclonal antibody) before randomization * Has received prior B-cell lymphoma 2 inhibitor(s) (BCL2i) within ≤ 12 months before randomization or has received prior radiotherapy within 2 weeks of start of study intervention, or radiation related toxicities, requiring corticosteroids * Is currently being treated with p-glycoprotein (P-gp) substrates with a narrow therapeutic index, cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) strong or moderate inducers or CYP3A strong inhibitors. * Has received a live or live attenuated vaccine within 30 days before the first dose of study intervention * Has received an investigational agent or has used an investigational device within 4 weeks before study intervention administration * Has a known psychiatric or substance use disorder that would interfere with the participant's ability to cooperate with the requirements of the study * Participants who have not adequately recovered from major surgery or have ongoing surgical complications

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 NCT05947851 clinical trial?

This trial is open to participants of all sexes, aged 18 Years or older, studying Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell. 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 NCT05947851 trial and what does that mean for participants?

Phase 3 trials are large-scale studies comparing the new treatment to existing standards of care or a placebo. They provide the evidence needed for regulatory approval. This trial targets 735 participants.

Is NCT05947851 currently recruiting?

Yes, NCT05947851 is actively recruiting participants. Contact the research team at Trialsites@msd.com for enrollment information.

Where is the NCT05947851 trial being conducted?

This trial is being conducted at Springdale, United States, Long Beach, United States, Pembroke Pines, United States, Portland, United States and 11 additional locations.

Who is sponsoring the NCT05947851 clinical trial?

NCT05947851 is sponsored by Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC. The principal investigator is Medical Director at Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC. The trial plans to enroll 735 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: April 2026  ·  Data Methodology