Study of Pomalidomide and Low Dose Dexamethasone With or Without Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) in Refractory or Relapsed and Refractory Multiple Myeloma (rrMM) (MK-3475-183/KEYNOTE-183)
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02576977 |
Recruitment Status :
Terminated
(The study was terminated early due to business reasons)
First Posted : October 15, 2015
Results First Posted : August 2, 2019
Last Update Posted : October 8, 2021
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Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
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Multiple Myeloma | Biological: Pembrolizumab Drug: Pomalidomide Drug: Dexamethasone | Phase 3 |
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 251 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Masking: | None (Open Label) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | A Phase III Study of Pomalidomide and Low Dose Dexamethasone With or Without Pembrolizumab (MK3475) in Refractory or Relapsed and Refractory Multiple Myeloma (rrMM) (KEYNOTE 183) |
Actual Study Start Date : | October 19, 2015 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | July 9, 2018 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | July 16, 2020 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
---|---|
Experimental: Pembrolizumab+Pomalidomide+Dexamethasone
Participants receive pembrolizumab 200 mg intravenously (IV) on Day 1 every 3 weeks (Q3W) PLUS pomalidomide 4 mg orally (PO) on Days 1 to 21 of each 28-day cycle PLUS dexamethasone 40 mg PO on Days 1, 8, 15 and 22 of each 28-day cycle.
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Biological: Pembrolizumab
pembrolizumab 200 mg IV infusion
Other Names:
Drug: Pomalidomide pomalidomide 4 mg capsules
Other Name: POMALYST® Drug: Dexamethasone dexamethasone 40 mg tablets |
Active Comparator: Pomalidomide+Dexamethasone
Participants receive pomalidomide 4 mg PO on Days 1 to 21 of each 28-day cycle PLUS dexamethasone 40 mg PO on Days 1, 8, 15 and 22 of each 28-day cycle.
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Drug: Pomalidomide
pomalidomide 4 mg capsules
Other Name: POMALYST® Drug: Dexamethasone dexamethasone 40 mg tablets |
- Progression Free Survival (PFS) Assessed by Clinical Adjudication Committee (CAC) Blinded Central Review According to the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) Response Criteria [ Time Frame: Up to approximately 30 months ]Progression free survival was defined as the time from randomization to the first documented disease progression, or death due to any cause, whichever occurred first. PFS was assessed by CAC blinded central review according to the IMWG criteria based on the development of new bone lesions or soft tissue plasmacytomas or on a definite increase in the size of existing bone lesions or soft tissue plasmacytomas. Median PFS was calculated from the product-limit (Kaplan-Meier) method for censored data. The database cutoff date was July 9, 2018.
- Overall Survival (OS) [ Time Frame: Up to approximately 54 months ]Overall survival is defined as the time from randomization to death due to any cause. Participants without documented death at the time of the final analysis were censored at the date of the last follow-up. Median overall survival was calculated from the product-limit (Kaplan-Meier) method for censored data. The database cutoff date was August 3, 2020.
- Overall Response Rate (ORR) Evaluated According to the IMWG Response Criteria by CAC Blinded Central Review [ Time Frame: Up to approximately 30 months ]ORR was defined as the percentage of the participants in the analysis population who achieved at least a partial response (stringent complete response [sCR]+complete response [CR]+very good partial response [VGPR]+partial response [PR]) according to the IMWG. CR = negative immunofixation of serum and urine AND disappearance of any soft tissue plasmacytomas AND <5% plasmacytomas in the bone marrow; sCR=stringent complete response, CR as above PLUS normal serum free light-chain (FLC) assay ratio and absence of clonal cells in bone marrow by immunohistochemistry or immunofluorescence; VGPR = serum and urine M-component detectable by immunofixation but not on electrophoresis OR ≥ 90% reduction in serum M-component plus urine M-component <100 mg/24 hr; PR = ≥50% reduction of serum M-protein and reduction in 24-hour urinary M-protein by ≥90% or to <200 mg/24 hours. The database cutoff date was July 9, 2018.
- Participants Experiencing One or More Adverse Events (AEs) [ Time Frame: Up to approximately 54 months ]An adverse event (AE) was defined as any unfavorable and unintended sign including an abnormal laboratory finding, symptom or disease associated with the use of a medical treatment or procedure, regardless of whether it was considered related to the medical treatment or procedure, that occurred during the course of the study. Database cutoff was August 3, 2020.
- Participants Discontinuing Study Investigational Product Due to an AE [ Time Frame: Up to approximately 54 months ]An adverse event was defined as any unfavorable and unintended sign including an abnormal laboratory finding, symptom or disease associated with the use of a medical treatment or procedure, regardless of whether it was considered related to the medical treatment or procedure, that occurred during the course of the study. Database cutoff was August 3, 2020.
- Disease Control Rate (DCR) Evaluated According to the IMWG Response Criteria by CAC Blinded Central Review [ Time Frame: Up to approximately 30 months ]Disease control rate was the percentage of participants who achieved confirmed sCR, CR, VGPR, PR, minimal response (MR) or have demonstrated stable disease (SD) for at least 12 weeks prior to any evidence of progression. PD was development of or an increase in the size of bone lesions or soft tissue plasmacytomas. CR = negative immunofixation of serum and urine AND disappearance of any soft tissue plasmacytomas AND <5% plasmacytomas in the bone marrow; sCR=stringent complete response, CR as above PLUS normal serum FLC assay ratio and absence of clonal cells in bone marrow by immunohistochemistry/fluorescence; VGPR = serum and urine M-component detectable by immunofixation but not on electrophoresis OR ≥ 90% reduction in serum M-component plus urine M-component <100 mg/24 hr; PR = ≥50% reduction of serum M-protein and reduction in 24-hour urinary M-protein by ≥90% or to <200 mg/24 hours. The data cutoff date was July 9, 2018.
- Second Progression Free Survival (PFS2) [ Time Frame: Up to approximately 30 months ]PFS2 was defined as the time from randomization to subsequent disease progression after initiation of new anti-cancer therapy, or death from any cause, whichever occurred first, by investigator assessment. As a result of a full clinical hold by FDA that led to discontinuation of study enrollment, no data was collected for analysis of PFS2.

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Has a confirmed diagnosis of active multiple myeloma and measurable disease
- Must have undergone prior treatment with ≥2 treatment lines of anti-myeloma therapy and must have failed last line of treatment (refractory to last line of treatment)
- Prior anti-myeloma treatments must have included an immunomodulatory drug (IMiD) AND proteasome inhibitor alone or in combination and participant must have failed therapy with an IMiD OR proteasome inhibitor
- Has performance status of 0 or 1 on the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Scale
- Female participants of childbearing potential must have 2 negative urine human chorionic gonadotropin tests within 10 to 14 days and within 24 hours prior to receiving study medication
- Female participants of childbearing potential and male participants must agree to use adequate contraception 28 days prior to study start and continuing for up to 28 days after the last dose of pomalidomide (or 120 days after the last dose of pembrolizumab)
Exclusion Criteria:
- Has had prior anti-myeloma therapy within 2 weeks prior to study start and has not recovered (i.e., ≤ Grade 1 or at Baseline) from adverse events due to a previously administered agent
- Has undergone prior allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation within the last 5 years. (Participants who have had a transplant greater than 5 years ago are eligible as long as there are no symptoms of Graft versus Host Disease [GVHD]).
- Has received autologous stem cell transplant (auto-SCT) within 12 weeks before the first infusion or is planning for or is eligible for auto-SCT
- Has received previous therapy with pomalidomide
- Has peripheral neuropathy ≥ Grade 2
- Has a known additional malignancy that is progressing or requires active treatment within the last 5 years (except for basal cell carcinoma of the skin, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, or in situ cervical cancer that has undergone potentially curative therapy)
- Has a history of (non-infectious) pneumonitis that required steroids or current pneumonitis
- Has received prior therapy with an anti-programmed cell death 1 receptor (anti-PD-1), antiprogrammed death-ligand 1 (anti-PD-L1), anti-PD-L2, anti-CD137, or anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) antibody (including ipilimumab or any other antibody or drug specifically targeting T-cell costimulation or checkpoint pathways)
- Is pregnant or breast-feeding

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT02576977
Study Director: | Medical Director | Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC |
Documents provided by Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC:
Publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):
Responsible Party: | Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT02576977 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
3475-183 2015-002509-13 ( EudraCT Number ) 163146 ( Registry Identifier: JAPAN-CTI ) MK-3475-183 ( Other Identifier: Merck Protocol Number ) KEYNOTE-183 ( Other Identifier: Merck ) |
First Posted: | October 15, 2015 Key Record Dates |
Results First Posted: | August 2, 2019 |
Last Update Posted: | October 8, 2021 |
Last Verified: | September 2021 |
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement: | |
Plan to Share IPD: | Yes |
Plan Description: | http://engagezone.msd.com/doc/ProcedureAccessClinicalTrialData.pdf |
URL: | http://engagezone.msd.com/ds_documentation.php |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: | Yes |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: | No |
PDL1 PD1 Multiple Myeloma |
Multiple Myeloma Neoplasms, Plasma Cell Neoplasms by Histologic Type Neoplasms Hemostatic Disorders Vascular Diseases Cardiovascular Diseases Paraproteinemias Blood Protein Disorders Hematologic Diseases Hemorrhagic Disorders Lymphoproliferative Disorders Immunoproliferative Disorders Immune System Diseases Dexamethasone |
Pembrolizumab Pomalidomide Anti-Inflammatory Agents Antiemetics Autonomic Agents Peripheral Nervous System Agents Physiological Effects of Drugs Gastrointestinal Agents Glucocorticoids Hormones Hormones, Hormone Substitutes, and Hormone Antagonists Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal Antineoplastic Agents Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological Immunologic Factors |