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NCT02446457

Rituximab and Pembrolizumab With or Without Lenalidomide in Treating Patients With Relapsed Follicular Lymphoma and Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Active, enrolled Phase 2 Results posted Last updated 9 March 2026
What this trial tests

Phase 2 trial testing Laboratory Biomarker Analysis in Recurrent Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma in 53 participants. Participants enrolled and being followed up; not accepting new ones.

Timeline
31 July 2015
Primary endpoint
31 March 2025
30 April 2026

Quick facts

Lead sponsorM.D. Anderson Cancer Center
PhasePhase 2
StatusActive, enrolled
Study typeINTERVENTIONAL
Allocationnon randomized
Designparallel
Maskingnone
Primary purposetreatment
Enrollment53
Start date31 July 2015
Primary completion31 March 2025
Estimated completion30 April 2026
Sites1 location across United States

Drugs / interventions tested

Conditions studied

Sponsor

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center — full company profile →

Who can join

18 and older, any sex, with Recurrent Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma or Recurrent Grade 1 Follicular Lymphoma. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Results — posted to ClinicalTrials.gov

Per-arm endpoint measurements with 95% confidence intervals where reported. Source: trial results section.

Overall Response Rate (Complete + Partial Responses) Primary · Approximately 1 year and 6 months

To determine the overall response rate (ORR) in subjects with relapsed follicular lymphoma (FL) treated with Rituximab plus pembrolizumab therapy. II. To determine the ORR in subjects with relapsed/refractory FL and relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-Cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who failed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy and rea treated with rituximab in combination with pembrolizumab and lenalidomide (Cohort 2)

Complete Response (CR)
GroupValue95% CI
Cohort I (Rituximab, Pembrolizumab)15
Cohort II (Rituximab, Pembrolizumab, Lenalidomide)5
Partial Response (PR)
GroupValue95% CI
Cohort I (Rituximab, Pembrolizumab)5
Cohort II (Rituximab, Pembrolizumab, Lenalidomide)0
Not Evaluable
GroupValue95% CI
Cohort I (Rituximab, Pembrolizumab)0
Cohort II (Rituximab, Pembrolizumab, Lenalidomide)2
Progressive Disease (PD)
GroupValue95% CI
Cohort I (Rituximab, Pembrolizumab)0
Cohort II (Rituximab, Pembrolizumab, Lenalidomide)7

Adverse events — posted to ClinicalTrials.gov

Time frame: Approximately 1 year and 6 months. Reporting threshold: 0%. Adverse-event reports describe events observed during the trial — not all are caused by the drug.

Cohort I (Rituximab, Pembrolizumab)
Serious: 7/30 (23%)
Deaths: 0/30
Cohort II (Rituximab, Pembrolizumab, Lenalidomide)
Serious: 6/14 (43%)
Deaths: 2/14

Serious adverse events (18 terms)

ReactionSystemCohort I (Rituximab, Pembr…Cohort II (Rituximab, Pemb…
Febrile Neutropenia (Neutropenia Fever)Blood and lymphatic system disorders
FeverGeneral disorders
MeningitsInfections and infestations
Nausea/ HeadacheGastrointestinal disorders
VomitingGastrointestinal disorders
Atrial FlutterSkin and subcutaneous tissue disorders
HyperglycemiaNervous system disorders
NeoplasamsNervous system disorders
Alainine Aminotransferase IncreasedBlood and lymphatic system disorders
RashSkin and subcutaneous tissue disorders
Abdominal PainGastrointestinal disorders
DiarrheaGastrointestinal disorders
Respiratory FailireRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
PneumonitisRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
Pulmonary EmbolismVascular disorders
Hypoxia/ Lung InfectionRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
Lung InfectionInfections and infestations
PneumoniaRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
Other adverse events (66 terms — click to expand)

ReactionSystemCohort I (Rituximab, Pembr…Cohort II (Rituximab, Pemb…
Liver Enzymes AbnormalatiesGastrointestinal disorders
FatigueNervous system disorders
Lymphocyte Count DecreasedBlood and lymphatic system disorders
DiarrheaGastrointestinal disorders
Watering EyesGeneral disorders
Eye PainGeneral disorders
RashSkin and subcutaneous tissue disorders
MyalgiaMusculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders
CoughRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
White Blood Count DecreaseBlood and lymphatic system disorders
Blurred VisionGeneral disorders
AST IncreasedBlood and lymphatic system disorders
Dyspnea/ WheezingRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
Nausea/ VomittingGastrointestinal disorders
White Blood Cound DecreaseBlood and lymphatic system disorders
Oral MucositisGastrointestinal disorders
HypertensionVascular disorders
ConstipationGastrointestinal disorders
Peripheal Sensory NeuropathyBlood and lymphatic system disorders
PneumonitisRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
HyperkalemiaBlood and lymphatic system disorders
HyperglycemiaBlood and lymphatic system disorders
Infusion Related ReactionGeneral disorders
FeverGeneral disorders
Abdominal PainGastrointestinal disorders
Eye DisordersGeneral disorders
HyperglycemiaMetabolism and nutrition disorders
HyperkalemiaMetabolism and nutrition disorders
HyperuricemiaMetabolism and nutrition disorders
HyperthyroidismGeneral disorders
PneumonitisRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
Gastritis/ EsophagitisGastrointestinal disorders
HeadacheNervous system disorders
MenugitisInfections and infestations
HeadacheNervous system disorders
DizzinessNervous system disorders
Irritated EyesGeneral disorders
Chest PainRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
Productive CoughRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
Edema LimbsGeneral disorders

Most-reported serious reactions: Febrile Neutropenia (Neutropenia Fever), Fever, Meningits, Nausea/ Headache, Vomiting, Atrial Flutter, Hyperglycemia, Neoplasams.

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02446457 adverse events section.

Sponsor's own description

This phase II trial studies how well rituximab and pembrolizumab with or without lenalidomide works in treating patients with follicular lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma that has returned after a period of improvement. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as rituximab and pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as lenalidomide, work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Giving rutuximab with pembrolizumab and lenalidomide may work better at treating follicular lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

Publications & conference data

8 peer-reviewed publications reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

  1. Targeting immune checkpoints in hematological malignancies.
    Salik B, Smyth MJ, Nakamura K. · · 2020 · cited 92× · PMID 32787882 · DOI 10.1186/s13045-020-00947-6
  2. Checkpoint blockade in Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
    Merryman RW, Armand P, Wright KT, Rodig SJ. · · 2017 · cited 87× · PMID 29296917 · DOI 10.1182/bloodadvances.2017012534
  3. PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint and p53 loss facilitate tumor progression in activated B-cell diffuse large B-cell lymphomas.
    Pascual M, Mena-Varas M, Robles EF, Garcia-Barchino MJ, et al · · 2019 · cited 78× · PMID 30975638 · DOI 10.1182/blood.2018889931
  4. B cell depletion or absence does not impede anti-tumor activity of PD-1 inhibitors.
    Damsky W, Jilaveanu L, Turner N, Perry C, et al · · 2019 · cited 71× · PMID 31200747 · DOI 10.1186/s40425-019-0613-1
  5. Cancer Immunotherapy in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma.
    Zhang J, Zhang J, Medeiros LJ, Young KH. · · 2018 · cited 65× · PMID 30250823 · DOI 10.3389/fonc.2018.00351
  6. Combination Strategies to Augment Immune Check Point Inhibitors Efficacy - Implications for Translational Research.
    Varayathu H, Sarathy V, Thomas BE, Mufti SS, et al · · 2021 · cited 62× · PMID 34123767 · DOI 10.3389/fonc.2021.559161
  7. The landscape of new drugs in lymphoma.
    Younes A, Ansell S, Fowler N, Wilson W, et al · · 2017 · cited 59× · PMID 28031560 · DOI 10.1038/nrclinonc.2016.205
  8. Combining targeted therapy with immunotherapy. Can 1+1 equal more than 2?
    Robert L, Ribas A, Hu-Lieskovan S. · · 2016 · cited 58× · PMID 26861544 · DOI 10.1016/j.smim.2016.01.001

Verify or expand the search:

Other trials of Laboratory Biomarker Analysis

Trials testing the same drug.

Other recruiting trials for Recurrent Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Currently open trials in the same condition.

Other M.D. Anderson Cancer Center trials

Trials by the same sponsor.

Verify against primary sources

Data sources for this page

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Primary sources · FDA · ClinicalTrials.gov · EMA · SEC EDGAR · ChEMBL · Wikidata · full sourcing