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ACTIVE NOT RECRUITINGPhase3

A Phase 3 Study to Evaluate Petosemtamab Compared With Investigator's Choice Monotherapy in Previously Treated Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients (LiGeR-HN2)

Sponsor: Merus B.V.

NCT ID: NCT06496178

View on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

At a glance

What the study gets you
Access to the study treatment being tested
Type of study
Interventional (receives a drug or procedure)
Time in hospital
In-person visits at study sites — visit count not specified by the sponsor
Drug or intervention
Petosemtamab (drug), Investigator's Choice (drug), Investigator's Choice (drug), Investigator's Choice (drug)
How long the study runs
Study runs about 57 months (dates as stated)
About the drug or intervention
Petosemtamab — drug: MCLA-158 · Investigator's Choice — drug: Cetuximab · Investigator's Choice — drug: Methotrexate · Investigator's Choice — drug: Docetaxel
Patient visit burden
Not specified by the sponsor

In plain English

This is a phase 3 study for people with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (a type of cancer of the head and neck) that has spread or is locally advanced and cannot be treated with the aim of a cure. It tests a drug called petosemtamab against a treatment chosen by the doctor (called 'investigator's choice monotherapy'), in people whose cancer has already been treated with anti-PD-1 therapy and platinum-containing therapy. The study is run by Merus B.V. and is called LiGeR-HN2.

Who can take part

  • Aged 18 or over and able to give signed consent
  • Have head and neck squamous cell carcinoma that is metastatic (has spread) or locally advanced and cannot be cured with standard therapy
  • Cancer has got worse during or after anti-PD-1 therapy and platinum-containing therapy
  • Cancer started in the oropharynx, oral cavity, hypopharynx, or larynx
  • If the cancer started in the oropharynx, there is a record of p16 status (positive or negative) from a local laboratory test
  • Willing to give a new tumour sample, unless a stored sample with enough material is available
  • Have tumours that can be measured on scans
  • Able to carry out light activity (performance status score of 0 or 1)
  • Expected to live at least 12 weeks, in the doctor's view
  • Organs (such as liver and kidneys) are working well enough, as set out in the study plan

Who may not be able to

  • Untreated or symptom-causing cancer spread to the brain or spinal cord, or needing radiation, surgery, or ongoing steroids to control symptoms within 14 days before joining
  • Known spread of cancer to the layers around the brain and spinal cord (leptomeningeal involvement)
  • Any cancer drug treatment within 4 weeks before joining
  • Major surgery within 3 weeks, or palliative radiotherapy within 2 weeks, before joining
  • Ongoing significant side effects (worse than mild) from earlier cancer treatment
  • Past allergic reactions to ingredients of treatments used in this study
  • Serious heart problems, such as unstable angina, moderate to severe heart failure, serious irregular heartbeat needing treatment, or a heart attack in the past 6 months
  • Most other cancers in the past, apart from small localised cancers that were fully removed, such as early cervical changes or non-melanoma skin cancer
  • Breathlessness at rest, or needing continuous oxygen therapy
  • Other serious illness, such as uncontrolled infection, or significant lung, metabolic, or mental health conditions
  • Certain known infectious diseases, as set out in the study plan
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding
  • Cancer that started in the nasopharynx

What taking part involves

  • • Being given either the study drug petosemtamab or a single cancer drug chosen by your doctor (investigator's choice monotherapy) — not stated which specific drugs are in the doctor's choice options
  • • Not stated — ask the trial team

Time commitment: Not stated — ask the trial team.

Plain-English summary (AI-generated) from registry data. Not eligibility advice — only the trial team can confirm whether you can take part. Use the eligibility checker to see how your health profile matches this trial.

Type of study
Testing a treatment
Ages
18 Years and over
Who
All
Number of participants
621
Started
2024-06-25
Last checked
2026-08

Plain English Summary

What is this study?

  • • Testing a new treatment for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
  • • Phase3 - 621 participants
  • • This is a phase 3 open-label, randomized, controlled, multicenter study to compare petosemtamab vs investigator's choice monotherapy in HNSCC patients for the second- and third-line treatment of incurable metastatic/recurrent disease

Who can take part?

  • • Ages 18 Years and over
  • • Diagnosed with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Where?

  • • Cambridge - Site 65
  • • Cardiff - Site 174
  • • Glasgow - Site 171
  • • Liverpool - Site 44
  • • +8 more UK sites

This is a simplified summary. Always discuss with your doctor before making any decisions.

About This Trial

This is a phase 3 open-label, randomized, controlled, multicenter study to compare petosemtamab vs investigator's choice monotherapy in HNSCC patients for the second- and third-line treatment of incurable metastatic/recurrent disease.

More detail

This is a phase 3 open-label, randomized, controlled, multicenter study to compare petosemtamab vs investigator's choice monotherapy in HNSCC patients for the second- and third-line treatment of incurable metastatic/recurrent disease. HNSCC patients must have progressive disease (PD) on or after anti-PD-1 therapy and platinum-containing therapy. Patients treated with platinum-containing therapy only in the adjuvant setting, or in the context of multimodal therapy for locally advanced disease, should have PD within 6 months of the last dose of platinum-containing therapy.

Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

How this trial compares with your answers

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What we know so far

Condition· Matched your search
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Still need:

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Preliminary match based on your answers. Full eligibility requires on-site assessment including medical history, physical exam, and lab tests. This does not guarantee enrolment.

Eligibility at a Glance

Key info

  • Age: 18 Years and over
  • Who can join: All genders

What the study is looking for

  • ✓Signed ICF before initiation of any study procedures.
  • ✓Age ≥ 18 years at signing of ICF.
  • ✓Histologically previously confirmed HNSCC with evidence of that has spread or that has grown locally disease not amenable to...
  • ✓HNSCC participants progressed on or after anti-PD-1 therapy and platinum-containing therapy.
  • ✓The eligible HNSCC primary tumor locations are oropharynx, oral cavity, hypopharynx, and larynx.

Who cannot take part

  • ✗Central nervous system metastases that are untreated or causing symptoms, or require radiation, surgery, or continued...
  • ✗Known leptomeningeal involvement
  • ✗Any systemic anticancer therapy within 4 weeks prior to randomization.
  • ✗Major surgery within 3 weeks or palliative radiotherapy within 2 weeks prior to randomization.
  • ✗Persistent Grade \>1 clinically significant toxicities related to prior antineoplastic therapies
See the full criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Signed ICF before initiation of any study procedures. * Age ≥ 18 years at signing of ICF. * Histologically previously confirmed HNSCC with evidence of metastatic or locally advanced disease not amenable to standard therapy with curative intent. * HNSCC participants progressed on or after anti-PD-1 therapy and platinum-containing therapy. * The eligible HNSCC primary tumor locations are oropharynx, oral cavity, hypopharynx, and larynx. * A baseline new tumor sample unless the participant has an available tumor sample as an FFPE block with sufficient material. * Measurable disease as defined by RECIST v1.1 by radiologic methods. * ECOG PS of 0 or 1 * Life expectancy ≥ 12 weeks, as per investigator * Adequate organ function (as per protocol) Exclusion Criteria: * Central nervous system metastases that are untreated or symptomatic, or require radiation, surgery, or continued steroid therapy to control symptoms within 14 days prior to randomization. * Known leptomeningeal involvement * Any systemic anticancer therapy within 4 weeks prior to randomization. * Major surgery within 3 weeks or palliative radiotherapy within 2 weeks prior to randomization. * Persistent Grade \>1 clinically significant toxicities related to prior antineoplastic therapies * History of hypersensitivity reaction to any of the excipients of treatment required for this study. * Unstable angina; history of congestive heart failure of Class II-IV New York Heart Association (NYHA) criteria, or serious cardiac arrhythmia requiring treatment or history of myocardial infarction within 6 months of study entry * History of prior malignancies with the exception of localized cancer with curative resection (e.g. cervical intraepithelial neoplasia or nonmelanoma skin cancer) * Current dyspnea at rest of any origin, or other diseases requiring continuous oxygen therapy * Current serious illness or medical conditions including, but not limited to, uncontrolled active infection, clinically significant pulmonary, metabolic or psychiatric disorders * Participants with known infectious diseases (as per protocol) * Pregnant or breastfeeding participants

Where Is This Study? (12 UK sites)

Site 65

Cambridge CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom

Site 174

Cardiff CF14 2TL, United Kingdom

Site 171

Glasgow G12 0YN, United Kingdom

Site 44

Liverpool L7 8YA, United Kingdom

Site 157

London E20 1JQ, United Kingdom

Site 140

London EC1A 7BE, United Kingdom

Site 90

London SE1 9RT, United Kingdom

Site 42

London SW3 6JJ, United Kingdom

Site 48

Manchester M20 4BX, United Kingdom

Site 70

Middlesex HA6 2RN, United Kingdom

Site 191

Newcastle upon Tyne NE7 7DN, United Kingdom

Site 43

Sutton SM2 5PT, United Kingdom

Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov · Last verified: 2026-08