Researchers want to know if V940 (the study treatment) given with pembrolizumab and chemotherapy can treat metastatic treatment-naive squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). V940 is designed to help a person's immune system attack their specific cancer. The goal of this study is to learn if people who receive V940 with pembrolizumab and chemotherapy live longer overall and without the cancer growing or spreading compared to people who receive placebo with pembrolizumab and chemotherapy. A placebo looks like the study treatment but has no study treatment in it. Using a placebo helps researchers better understand the effects of the study treatment.
Phase 2 trials begin testing efficacy in a larger patient group (100–300). This is often where biotech binary events occur — positive Phase 2 data can significantly advance a company's pipeline narrative, while failures can be terminal for a program.
Currently recruiting: the trial is enrolling patients. A data readout is not expected until after enrollment closes and the follow-up period is complete.
Merck & Co (MRK) is the sponsoring company for this trial. BiotechSign currently grades this company F (35/100) based on composite catalyst signals across its full pipeline. This trial is one data point in that overall catalyst picture.