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Clinical Trial NCT02504372 (PEARLS) for Non-small Cell Lung Cancer is active, not recruiting. See the Trial Radar Card View and AI discovery tools for all the details. Or ask anything here.
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Study of Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) vs Placebo for Participants With Non-small Cell Lung Cancer After Resection With or Without Standard Adjuvant Therapy (MK-3475-091/KEYNOTE-091) (PEARLS)

Active, not recruiting
Clinical Trial NCT02504372 (PEARLS) is designed to study Treatment for Non-small Cell Lung Cancer. It is a Phase 3 interventional trial that is active, not recruiting, having started on 6 November 2015, with plans to enroll 1,177 participants. Led by Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, it is expected to complete by 21 January 2026. The latest data from ClinicalTrials.gov was last updated on 15 September 2025.
Brief Summary
In this study, participants with Stage IB/II-IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have undergone surgical resection (lobectomy or pneumonectomy) with or without adjuvant chemotherapy will be treated with pembrolizumab or placebo. The primary study hypothesis is that pembrolizumab will provide improved disease-free survival (DFS) versus placebo.
Official Title

A Randomized, Phase 3 Trial With Anti-PD-1 Monoclonal Antibody Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) Versus Placebo for Patients With Early Stage NSCLC After Resection and Completion of Standard Adjuvant Therapy (PEARLS)

Conditions
Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
Publications
Scientific articles and research papers published about this clinical trial:
Other Study IDs
  • PEARLS
  • 3475-091
  • EORTC-1416-LCG (Other Identifier) (EORTC)
  • 163457 (Registry Identifier) (JAPIC-CTI)
  • MK-3475-091 (Other Identifier) (MSD)
  • KEYNOTE-091 (Other Identifier) (MSD)
  • 2023-509137-39-00 (Registry Identifier) (EU CT)
  • U1111-1309-6051 (Registry Identifier) (UTN)
  • 2015-000575-27 (EudraCT Number)
NCT ID Number
NCT02504372
Start Date (Actual)
2015-11-06
Last Update Posted
2025-09-15
Completion Date (Estimated)
2026-01-21
Enrollment (Estimated)
1,177
Study Type
Interventional
PHASE
Phase 3
Status
Active, not recruiting
Keywords
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
Programmed Cell Death Receptor 1 (PD-1)
Programmed Cell Death Receptor Ligand 1 (PD-L1)
Programmed Cell Death Receptor Ligand (PDL)
Primary Purpose
Treatment
Design Allocation
Randomized
Interventional Model
Parallel
Masking
Triple
Arms / Interventions
Participant Group/ArmIntervention/Treatment
ExperimentalPembrolizumab
Participants receive pembrolizumab 200 mg, intravenously (IV), every 3 weeks, for one year (expected maximum 18 doses).
Pembrolizumab
IV infusion
Placebo ComparatorPlacebo
Participants receive placebo, IV, every 3 weeks, for one year (expected maximum 18 doses).
Placebo
IV infusion
Primary Outcome Measures
Outcome MeasureMeasure DescriptionTime Frame
Disease-Free Survival (DFS)
DFS was defined as the time from randomization to either the date of disease recurrence or death (whatever the cause) as assessed by the investigator. Recurrence of disease was defined as local regional recurrence, a distant (metastatic) recurrence, or a second primary cancer. Occurrence of a second extra-pulmonary malignancy was considered to be an event.
Up to approximately 84 months
DFS in Programmed Death Ligand-1 (PDL-1) Strong Positive Participants With Tumor Proportion Score (TPS) ≥50%
DFS in PDL-1 strong positive participants with TPS ≥50% was defined as the time from randomization to either the date of disease recurrence or death (whatever the cause) as assessed by the investigator. Recurrence of disease was defined as local regional recurrence, a distant (metastatic) recurrence, or a second primary cancer. Occurrence of a second extra-pulmonary malignancy was considered to be an event.
Up to approximately 84 months
Secondary Outcome Measures
Outcome MeasureMeasure DescriptionTime Frame
DFS in PDL-1 Strong Positive Participants With TPS ≥1%
DFS in PDL-1 strong positive participants with TPS ≥1% was defined as the time from randomization to either the date of disease recurrence or death (whatever the cause) as assessed by the investigator. Recurrence of disease was defined as local regional recurrence, a distant (metastatic) recurrence, or a second primary cancer. Occurrence of a second extra-pulmonary malignancy was considered to be an event.
Up to approximately 84 months
Overall Survival (OS)
OS was defined as the time from randomization to the date of death.
Up to approximately 132 months
OS in PDL-1 Strong Positive Participants With TPS ≥50%
OS in PDL-1 Strong Positive Participants with TPS ≥50% was defined as the time from randomization to the date of death.
Up to approximately 132 months
OS in PDL-1 Strong Positive Participants With TPS ≥1%
OS in PDL-1 Strong Positive Participants with TPS ≥1% was defined as the time from randomization to the date of death.
Up to approximately 132 months
Lung Cancer Specific Survival (LCSS)
LCSS was defined as the time from randomization to the date of death (due to lung cancer specifically).
Up to approximately 132 months
Number of Participants Who Experienced an Adverse Event (AE)
An AE was defined as any untoward medical occurrence in a participant or clinical investigation participant administered a pharmaceutical product and which does not necessarily have to have a causal relationship with this treatment. An AE can therefore be any unfavourable and unintended sign (including an abnormal laboratory finding, for example), symptom, or disease temporally associated with the use of a medicinal product or protocol specified procedure, whether or not considered related to the medicinal product or protocol specified procedure. The number of participants who experienced an AE were reported.
Up to approximately 22 months
Number of Participants Who Discontinued Study Treatment Due to an AE
An AE was defined as any untoward medical occurrence in a participant or clinical investigation participant administered a pharmaceutical product and which does not necessarily have to have a causal relationship with this treatment. An AE can therefore be any unfavourable and unintended sign (including an abnormal laboratory finding, for example), symptom, or disease temporally associated with the use of a medicinal product or protocol specified procedure, whether or not considered related to the medicinal product or protocol specified procedure. The number of participants who discontinued study treatment due to an AE were reported.
Up to approximately 19 months
Eligibility Criteria

Eligible Ages
Adult, Older Adult
Minimum Age
18 Years
Eligible Sexes
All
  • Pathological diagnosis of NSCLC confirmed at surgery, any histology. Participants with two synchronous primary non-small cell lung cancers are excluded from the study
  • Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) v7 Stage IB with T ≥ 4 cm, II-IIIA NSCLC after complete surgical resection with resection margins proved microscopically free of disease (R0). Carcinoma in situ can be present at the bronchial margin
  • Available tumor sample obtained at surgical resection for programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) Immunohistochemistry (IHC) expression assessment
  • Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status 0-1
  • Adequate organ function performed within 10 days of treatment initiation
  • Female participants of childbearing potential must have a negative urine or serum pregnancy test at screening (within 72 hours of first infusion of study medication). If the urine test cannot be confirmed as negative, a serum pregnancy test will be required. The serum pregnancy test must be negative for the participant to be eligible
  • Female participants of childbearing potential must be willing to use 2 methods of birth control or be surgically sterile, or abstain from heterosexual activity starting with the first infusion of study treatment through 120 days after the last infusion of study treatment
  • Female participants who are breast feeding must discontinue nursing prior to the first infusion of study medication and until 120 days after the last infusion study treatment
  • Male participants must agree to use an adequate method of contraception starting with the first infusion of study treatment through 120 days after the last infusion of study treatment
  • Absence of severe comorbidities that in the opinion of the Investigator might hamper the participation to the study and/or the treatment administration
  • No prior or planned neo-adjuvant or adjuvant radiotherapy and/or neo-adjuvant chemotherapy for the current malignancy is allowed

  • Evidence of disease at clinical examination and/or baseline radiological assessment as documented by contrast enhanced chest/upper abdomen CT scan, brain CT/MRI and clinical examination
  • More than 4 cycles of adjuvant therapy
  • Prior treatment with anti-programmed cell death (anti-PD)-1, anti-PD ligand-1/2, anti-CD137, or cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) modulators or any other immune-modulating agents
  • Live vaccine within 30 days prior to the first infusion of study treatment
  • Current participation or treatment with an investigational agent or use of an investigational device within 4 weeks of the first infusion of study treatment
  • History of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (known HIV 1/2 antibodies positive). No known active Hepatitis B or C
  • Chronic use of immunosuppressive agents and/or systemic corticosteroids or any use in the last 3 days prior to the first infusion of study treatment
  • History of interstitial lung disease or (non-infectious) pneumonitis that required oral or IV steroids (other than COPD exacerbation) or current pneumonitis
  • Active autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment in past 2 years
  • History of a hematologic or primary solid tumor malignancy, unless in remission for at least 5 years with the exception of pT1-2 prostatic cancer Gleason score < 6, superficial bladder cancer, non melanomatous skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
  • Previous allogeneic tissue/solid organ transplant
  • Active infection requiring therapy
  • Surgery- or chemotherapy-related toxicity (non-hematological) not resolved to Grade 1 with the exception of alopecia, fatigue, neuropathy and lack of appetite /nausea
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding, or expecting to conceive or father children within the projected duration of the trial, starting with the screening visit through 120 days after the last infusion of study treatment
  • Participant will not be eligible if the participant is or has an immediate family member (e.g., spouse, parent/legal guardian, sibling or child) who is investigational site or Sponsor staff directly involved with this trial, unless prospective site Review Board approval is given allowing exception to this criterion for a specific participant
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