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NCT02358031 · OUTCOME

Pembro Combo vs Control: ORR Per RECIST 1.1 by BICR in Participants With PD-L1 CPS ≥1

A Study of Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) for First Line Treatment of Recurrent or Metastatic Squamous Cell Cancer of the Head and Neck (MK-3475-048/KEYNOTE-048) · Source last updated 2025-07-18

Results reported by the registry submitting party. Population, time horizon, units and missing values must be read together.

Measure
NUMBER
Unit
Percentage of Participants
Interval / dispersion
95% Confidence Interval
Time frame
Up to approximately 47 months

What was measured

ORR was defined as the percentage of participants in the analysis population who have a CR (disappearance of all target lesions) or a PR (≥30% decrease in the sum of diameters of target lesions) per RECIST 1.1. based upon BICR. Per protocol, ORR in the pembro combo arm was compared to the control arm as a pre-specified secondary analysis of the ITT population. The percentage of participants who experienced CR or PR is reported here as the ORR, for the first course of treatment, for all participants with PD-L1 biomarker positive expression defined by IHC as CPS ≥1 in the pembro combo arm and control arm. Per protocol, ORR was compared separately between CPS ≥1 participants of the pembro mono arm and control arm and is presented later in the record.

Analysis population: Participants in the ITT population randomized to either pembro combo arm or control arm during active enrollment with CPS ≥1 were analyzed. 20 participants in control arm enrolled during an enrollment pause of the pembro combo arm were excluded. Per protocol, pembro mono arm was compared to control arm separately and not included in this analysis.

Groups in this outcome

Pembrolizumab Monotherapy (Pembro Mono)

Participants received pembrolizumab 200 mg intravenously (IV) on Day 1 of each 3-week cycle for up to 35 cycles (up to \~2 years).

Pembrolizumab + Chemotherapy (Pembro Combo)

Participants received pembrolizumab 200 mg IV on Day 1 of each 3-week cycle for up to 35 cycles (up to \~2 years); plus cisplatin 100 mg/m\^2 IV or carboplatin at a target area under the curve of 5 (AUC 5) IV, per Investigator's choice, on Day 1 of each 3-week cycle (6 cycle maximum \[up to \~4 months\]); plus 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) 1000 mg/m\^2/day IV continuous from Day 1-4 of each 3-week cycle (6 cycle maximum \[up to \~4 months\]).

Cetuximab + Chemotherapy (Control)

Participants received cetuximab on Day 1 at a dose of 400 mg/m\^2 IV, and then 250 mg/m\^2 IV on Day 1 of each subsequent week until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity; plus cisplatin 100 mg/m\^2 IV or carboplatin AUC 5 IV (Investigator's choice) on Day 1 of each 3-week cycle (6 cycle maximum \[up to \~4 months\] for platinum-based therapy); plus 5-FU 1000 mg/m\^2/day IV continuous from Day 1-4 of each 3-week cycle (6 cycle maximum \[up to \~4 months\]).

Group identifiers and denominators belong to this outcome only. They may differ in another outcome or in safety reporting.

Analysis denominator · Participants

GroupSource count
Pembrolizumab Monotherapy (Pembro Mono)0
Pembrolizumab + Chemotherapy (Pembro Combo)242
Cetuximab + Chemotherapy (Control)235

Reported measurements

Source class 1
Values in Percentage of Participants · Interval/dispersion: 95% Confidence Interval
GroupValueSpreadLowerUpperComment
Pembrolizumab + Chemotherapy (Pembro Combo)36.4Not reported30.342.8Not reported
Cetuximab + Chemotherapy (Control)35.7Not reported29.642.2Not reported

Source statistical analyses

Group order, estimate direction, methods and comments are retained. No treatment ranking is inferred.

  1. ci Lower Limit
    -8.2
    ci Num Sides
    TWO_SIDED
    ci Pct Value
    95
    ci Upper Limit
    9.1
    group Description
    ORR in CPS ≥1 participants of the pembro combo arm was compared to ORR in CPS ≥1 participants of the control arm. The comparison was based on Miettinen \& Nurminen method stratified by ECOG (0 vs. 1), HPV status (Positive vs. Negative) and PD-L1 TPS status (Strongly Positive, Not Strongly Positive).
    group Ids
    1. OG001
    2. OG002
    non Inferiority Type
    OTHER
    p Value
    0.4586
    p Value Comment
    No formal hypothesis testing performed; nominal p-value provided for treatment comparison.
    param Type
    Difference in ORR Percentage
    param Value
    0.5
    statistical Method
    Miettinen & Nurminen method
Complete source fields
analyses
  1. ci Lower Limit
    -8.2
    ci Num Sides
    TWO_SIDED
    ci Pct Value
    95
    ci Upper Limit
    9.1
    group Description
    ORR in CPS ≥1 participants of the pembro combo arm was compared to ORR in CPS ≥1 participants of the control arm. The comparison was based on Miettinen \& Nurminen method stratified by ECOG (0 vs. 1), HPV status (Positive vs. Negative) and PD-L1 TPS status (Strongly Positive, Not Strongly Positive).
    group Ids
    1. OG001
    2. OG002
    non Inferiority Type
    OTHER
    p Value
    0.4586
    p Value Comment
    No formal hypothesis testing performed; nominal p-value provided for treatment comparison.
    param Type
    Difference in ORR Percentage
    param Value
    0.5
    statistical Method
    Miettinen & Nurminen method
classes
  1. categories
    1. measurements
      1. group Id
        OG001
        lower Limit
        30.3
        upper Limit
        42.8
        value
        36.4
      2. group Id
        OG002
        lower Limit
        29.6
        upper Limit
        42.2
        value
        35.7
denoms
  1. counts
    1. group Id
      OG000
      value
      0
    2. group Id
      OG001
      value
      242
    3. group Id
      OG002
      value
      235
    units
    Participants
description
ORR was defined as the percentage of participants in the analysis population who have a CR (disappearance of all target lesions) or a PR (≥30% decrease in the sum of diameters of target lesions) per RECIST 1.1. based upon BICR. Per protocol, ORR in the pembro combo arm was compared to the control arm as a pre-specified secondary analysis of the ITT population. The percentage of participants who experienced CR or PR is reported here as the ORR, for the first course of treatment, for all participants with PD-L1 biomarker positive expression defined by IHC as CPS ≥1 in the pembro combo arm and control arm. Per protocol, ORR was compared separately between CPS ≥1 participants of the pembro mono arm and control arm and is presented later in the record.
dispersion Type
95% Confidence Interval
groups
  1. description
    Participants received pembrolizumab 200 mg intravenously (IV) on Day 1 of each 3-week cycle for up to 35 cycles (up to \~2 years).
    id
    OG000
    title
    Pembrolizumab Monotherapy (Pembro Mono)
  2. description
    Participants received pembrolizumab 200 mg IV on Day 1 of each 3-week cycle for up to 35 cycles (up to \~2 years); plus cisplatin 100 mg/m\^2 IV or carboplatin at a target area under the curve of 5 (AUC 5) IV, per Investigator's choice, on Day 1 of each 3-week cycle (6 cycle maximum \[up to \~4 months\]); plus 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) 1000 mg/m\^2/day IV continuous from Day 1-4 of each 3-week cycle (6 cycle maximum \[up to \~4 months\]).
    id
    OG001
    title
    Pembrolizumab + Chemotherapy (Pembro Combo)
  3. description
    Participants received cetuximab on Day 1 at a dose of 400 mg/m\^2 IV, and then 250 mg/m\^2 IV on Day 1 of each subsequent week until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity; plus cisplatin 100 mg/m\^2 IV or carboplatin AUC 5 IV (Investigator's choice) on Day 1 of each 3-week cycle (6 cycle maximum \[up to \~4 months\] for platinum-based therapy); plus 5-FU 1000 mg/m\^2/day IV continuous from Day 1-4 of each 3-week cycle (6 cycle maximum \[up to \~4 months\]).
    id
    OG002
    title
    Cetuximab + Chemotherapy (Control)
param Type
NUMBER
population Description
Participants in the ITT population randomized to either pembro combo arm or control arm during active enrollment with CPS ≥1 were analyzed. 20 participants in control arm enrolled during an enrollment pause of the pembro combo arm were excluded. Per protocol, pembro mono arm was compared to control arm separately and not included in this analysis.
reporting Status
POSTED
time Frame
Up to approximately 47 months
title
Pembro Combo vs Control: ORR Per RECIST 1.1 by BICR in Participants With PD-L1 CPS ≥1
type
SECONDARY
unit Of Measure
Percentage of Participants

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