NCT05142189RecruitingPhase 1
Clinical Trial Evaluating the Safety, Tolerability and Preliminary Efficacy of BNT116 Alone and in Combinations in Patients With Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
LuCa-MERIT-1: First-in-human, Open Label, Phase I Dose Confirmation Trial Evaluating the Safety, Tolerability and Preliminary Efficacy of BNT116 Alone and in Combinations in Patients With Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 22 Jul 2026
Brief summary (registry, in English)
This first-in-human (FIH) study for BNT116 aims to establish the safety profile and a safe dose for BNT116 monotherapy as well as for BNT116 in combination with approved medicinal products and/or in combination with investigational medicinal products (IMPs) including, but not limited to, cemiplimab, docetaxel, carboplatin, paclitaxel, osimertinib, anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), rearranged during transfection (RET) TKIs, BNT316 (an anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 \[CTLA-4\] antibody), an anti-B7-H3 antibody conjugated to a topoisomerase I inhibitor, an anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 3 (HER3) antibody conjugated to a topoisomerase I inhibitor or a bispecific antibody for programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) in participants with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The study will comprise several cohorts for dose confirmation in monotherapy as well as in combinations of BNT116 as mentioned above. The study will enroll participants with NSCLC in advanced or metastatic stage in Cohorts 1 to 4 and Cohorts 7 to 10, unresectable NSCLC Stage III in Cohorts 5 and 11, resectable NSCLC of Stage II and III in Cohort 6, advanced/metastatic epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant NSCLC in Cohort EGFR, and advanced/metastatic ALK rearranged or RET rearranged NSCLC in Cohort ALK/RET. Cohort EGFR and Cohort ALK/RET will enroll only at selected sites in the US.
- Status (registry)
- Recruiting
- Phase (registry)
- Phase 1
- Study type
- Interventional
- Enrollment
- 320 (estimated)
- First submitted
- 24 Nov 2021
- Start date
- 17 Jun 2022
- Primary completion date
- 28 Feb 2030
- Lead sponsor
- BioNTech SE
- Diseases
- Lung cancer
- NCT number
- NCT05142189
- EU CT number
- 2023-509283-14-00
- EudraCT number
- 2021-004739-94
What you commit to
- Study type: Interventional · Phase 1
- Planned participants: 320
- From 17 Jun 2022 to the primary completion date, 28 Feb 2030
- 42 sites in 8 countries
- Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them
Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.
Who cannot take part
Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.
Prior treatment
- Ongoing or recent evidence (within the last 5 years) of significant autoimmune disease that required treatment with systemic immunosuppressive treatments which may suggest risk for immune-related adverse events. Note: Participants with autoimmune-related hyperthyroidism, autoimmune-related hypothyroidism who are in remission, or on a stable dose of thyroid-replacement hormone, vitiligo, or psoriasis may be included.
- had radiotherapy or another appropriate therapy for the brain or spinal metastases, AND
- have stable brain or spinal disease on the computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan within 4 weeks before signing the informed consent (confirmed by stable lesions on two scans at least 4 weeks apart), AND
- do not require steroid therapy for the treatment of brain or spinal metastases within 14 days before the first dose of study treatment. Note: Spinal bone metastases (that is, of the vertebrae) are allowed, unless imminent fracture or cord compression is anticipated.
- Current use of chronic systemic steroid medication (\<= 5 mg/day prednisolone equivalent is allowed); participants using physiological replacement doses of prednisone for adrenal or pituitary insufficiency are eligible. Note: Steroid medication given for supportive or prophylactic reasons during CRT for participants in Cohorts 5 and 11 needs to be tapered to \<= 5 mg/day prednisolone equivalent at latest on the day before the study treatment starts.
- Other clinically relevant systemic immune suppression within the last 3 months before study enrollment.
- Prior splenectomy.
Other illness
- Current evidence of new or growing brain or spinal metastases during screening. Participants with leptomeningeal disease are excluded. Participants with known brain or spinal metastases may be eligible for all Cohorts, except for Cohorts 5, 6 and 11, if they:
- History/risk of interstitial lung disease or low baseline lung function (baseline pulse oximetry of less than 92% oxygen saturation without additional oxygen).
- NOTE: Other protocol defined Inclusion/Exclusion criteria apply to all or some participants depending on the cohort.
Lab values
- Presence of a driver mutation for which approved target therapies are available except if the participant is not a candidate for the respective targeted therapy. EXCEPT participants in Cohort EGFR and Cohort ALK/RET.
- Known history of seropositivity for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) with cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4)+ T-cell (CD4+) counts less than (\<) 350 cells/microlitre (mcL) and with a history of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-defining opportunistic infections.
Other
- Ongoing active systemic treatment against NSCLC.
- have no neurological symptoms that can be attributed to the current brain lesions, AND
- Systemic immune suppression:
Who the study is looking for
- Participants must have histologically confirmed NSCLC and measurable disease by RECIST v1.1. Note: Participants in Cohorts 1, 5 and 11 as well as in Cohorts EGFR and ALK/RET do not have to present with measurable disease.
- Participants must present with unresectable Stage III or metastatic Stage IV NSCLC by American Joint Commission on Cancer (AJCC) Cancer Staging Manual, Eighth Edition.
- EXCEPT
- Participants in Cohorts 5 and 11 must present with unresectable Stage III NSCLC by AJCC Cancer Staging Manual, Eighth Edition before receiving pre-study chemoradiotherapy.
- Participants in Cohort 6 with the initial diagnosis of resectable Stage II and Stage III NSCLC by AJCC Cancer Staging Manual, Eighth Edition.
- Participants in Cohorts 2, 4, 5, 6, 10 and 11 must be able to tolerate (additional) anti-PD-1 therapy (i.e., did not permanently discontinue anti-programmed death protein 1 \[PD-1\] / PD-L1\] therapy due to toxicity).
- Participants must have an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG-PS) less than or equal to (\<=) 1, except for participants in Cohorts 1, 4, 5, 10 and 11 who are eligible with an ECOG-PS of 0-2.
- Cohort-specific inclusion criteria:
- Cohort 1:
- Participants' prior therapy must have included at least a PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor and a platinum-based chemotherapy regimen as well as one other line of systemic therapy (except if a participant is not candidate for a platinum-based chemotherapy and/or PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor and/or another line of systemic therapy). Note: Participants newly enrolled in Cohort 1B under protocol v 5.0 and subsequent versions of the protocol must consent to mandatory blood sampling for peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).
- Participants who are to start cemiplimab at Cycle 3 must present with PD-L1 expression of tumor proportion score (TPS) greater than or equal to (\>=) 1% in tumor cells (as determined locally).
- Cohort 2:
- Participants must present with PD-L1 expression of TPS \>= 50% in tumor cells (as determined locally prior to inclusion in this study).
- Participants must present with progressive disease either
- in the advanced or metastasized stage of NSCLC: while on a PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor therapy or within 6 months of termination of this treatment as first-line treatment. Or
- be refractory to ongoing adjuvant therapy/maintenance treatment after CRT with a PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor that has been given for at least 3 months in monotherapy (i.e., after an initial combination therapy) before being enrolled into this study.
- Cohort 3:
- Participants' prior therapy must have included at least a PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor and a platinum-based chemotherapy regimen (except if a participant is not candidate for a platinum-based chemotherapy and/or PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor).
- Participants must present with progressive disease.
- Cohort 4:
- Participants who are not candidates for chemotherapy as first-line treatment for the advanced or metastasized stage of NSCLC may be enrolled if presenting with PD-L1 expression: TPS \>= 1% in tumor cells (as determined locally).
- Cohort 5:
- Participants' NSCLC must have been considered unresectable due to participant's condition and/or tumor-related factors and the participants must have undergone chemoradiotherapy before entering the study.
- Cohort 6:
- Participants' NSCLC must be considered technically and medically resectable.
- Participants must be considered eligible for neo-adjuvant treatment.
- Cohort 7:
- Participants' prior therapy must have included at least a PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor and a platinum-based chemotherapy regimen (except if a participant is not a candidate for a platinum-based chemotherapy and/or PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor). Note 1: Participants may have received prior therapy targeting CTLA-4, lymphocyte-activation gene 3 (LAG-3), T cell immunoglobulin and immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif \[ITIM\] domain (TIGIT), VEGF or VEGF receptor (VEGFR) inhibitor as monotherapy or part of a combination therapy. Note 2: If the participants' prior therapies included a CTLA-4 inhibitor, the participant must be able to tolerate (additional) treatment with the CTLA-4 inhibitor.
- Participants must present with progressive disease at study enrollment.
- Participants must consent to mandatory blood sampling for PBMCs.
- Cohorts 8 \& 9:
- Participants' prior therapy must have included at least a PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor and a platinum-based chemotherapy regimen (except if a participant is not a candidate for a platinum-based chemotherapy and/or PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor).
- Participants must present with progressive disease at study enrollment.
- Cohort 10:
- Participants who are not candidates for chemotherapy as first-line treatment for the advanced or metastasized stage of NSCLC may be enrolled.
- Cohort 11:
- Participants' NSCLC must have been considered unresectable due to participants condition and/or tumor related factors and the participants must have undergone chemoradiotherapy before entering the study.
- Cohort EGFR (will enroll only at selected sites in the US):
- Participants' NSCLC must have classical EGFR mutations, i.e., ex19Del or L858R.
- Participants must have ongoing treatment with osimertinib.
- Cohort ALK/RET (will enroll only at selected sites in the US):
- Participants' NSCLC must have ALK rearrangement or RET rearrangement.
- Participants must have ongoing treatment with a standard of care ALK TKI or RET TKI.
Age in the registry: 18 years to - · Sex: All · Does not accept healthy volunteers
Sites (42)
Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.
| Site | City | Country | Site status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cancer Research SA Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Adelaide | Australia | Recruiting |
| Monash Health Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Clayton | Australia | Recruiting |
| Scientia Clinical Research Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Randwick | Australia | Recruiting |
| Royal North Shore Hospital Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Sydney | Australia | Recruiting |
| University Hospital Cologne AöR Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Cologne | Germany | Recruiting |
| Krankenhaus Nordwest GmbH Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Frankfurt am Main | Germany | Recruiting |
| University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Hamburg | Germany | Recruiting |
| Universitaetsmedizin der Johannes Gutenberg-Universitaet Mainz KöR Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Mainz | Germany | Recruiting |
| Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Badalona | Spain | Recruiting |
| Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Barcelona | Spain | Recruiting |
| Hospital Universitario Fundación Jiménez Díaz Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Madrid | Spain | Recruiting |
| Hospital Universitario HM Sanchinarro Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Madrid | Spain | Recruiting |
| MD Anderson Cancer Center Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Madrid | Spain | Recruiting |
| Complexo Hospitalario Universitario De Santiago Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Santiago de Compostela | Spain | Recruiting |
| Hospital Universitario Virgen De La Macarena Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Sevilla | Spain | Recruiting |
| Hospital Universitario Y Politecnico La Fe Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Valencia | Spain | Recruiting |
| Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Cambridge | United Kingdom | Recruiting |
| Velindre NHS Trust Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Cardiff | United Kingdom | Recruiting |
| The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Liverpool | United Kingdom | Recruiting |
| University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | London | United Kingdom | Recruiting |
| Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | London | United Kingdom | Recruiting |
| The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Newcastle upon Tyne | United Kingdom | Recruiting |
| Orszagos Onkologiai Intezet Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Budapest XII | Hungary | Recruiting |
| Clinexpert Kft. Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Gyongyos | Hungary | Recruiting |
| Uniwersyteckie Centrum Kliniczne Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Gdansk | Poland | Recruiting |
| Warminsko-Mazurskie Centrum Chorob Pluc w Olsztynie Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Olsztyn | Poland | Recruiting |
| Med Polonia Sp z o.o. Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Poznan | Poland | Recruiting |
| Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Baltimore | United States | Recruiting |
| Ohio State University Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Columbus | United States | Recruiting |
| NEXT Virginia Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Fairfax | United States | Recruiting |
| MD Anderson Cancer Center Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Houston | United States | Recruiting |
| University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Lexington | United States | Recruiting |
| Norton Cancer Institute Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Louisville | United States | Recruiting |
| Adana City Training and Research Hospital Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Adana | Turkey (Türkiye) | Recruiting |
| Ankara City Hospital Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Ankara | Turkey (Türkiye) | Recruiting |
| Dr. Abdurrahman Yurtaslan Oncology Training and Research Hospital Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Ankara | Turkey (Türkiye) | Recruiting |
| Haceteppe Hospital Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Ankara | Turkey (Türkiye) | Recruiting |
| Yeditepe University Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Istanbul | Turkey (Türkiye) | Recruiting |
| Koc University Hospital Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Istanbul | Turkey (Türkiye) | Recruiting |
| University Medical Faculty Oncology Institute Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Istanbul | Turkey (Türkiye) | Recruiting |
| Dokuz Eylul Medical School Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Izmir | Turkey (Türkiye) | Completed |
| Ege University School of Medicine Tulay Aktas Oncology Hospital Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Izmir | Turkey (Türkiye) | Recruiting |
This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.