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.
How this trial compares with your answers
Answer 2 more questions to improve match
What we know so far
Still need:
- • Tell us your age for better matching
- • Tell us your sex for better matching
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
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
