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NCT04190056

Pembrolizumab and Tamoxifen With or Without Vorinostat for the Treatment of Estrogen Receptor Positive Breast Cancer

Terminated Phase 2 Results posted Last updated 31 August 2023
What this trial tests

Phase 2 trial testing Pembrolizumab in Anatomic Stage IV Breast Cancer AJCC v8 in 1 participant. Terminated before completion.

Timeline
11 March 2021
Primary endpoint
15 June 2023
15 June 2023

Quick facts

Lead sponsorUniversity of California, San Francisco
PhasePhase 2
StatusTerminated
Study typeINTERVENTIONAL
Allocationrandomized
Designparallel
Maskingnone
Primary purposetreatment
Enrollment1
Start date11 March 2021
Primary completion15 June 2023
Estimated completion15 June 2023
Sites1 location across United States

Drugs / interventions tested

Conditions studied

Sponsor

University of California, San Francisco

Who can join

18 and older, any sex, with Anatomic Stage IV Breast Cancer AJCC v8 or Prognostic Stage IV Breast Cancer AJCC v8. 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 (ORR) Primary · Up to 24 weeks

ORR is defined as the proportion of participants randomized to that arm whose status is stable disease (SD) or better (complete response (CR), partial response (PR)). Per Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors Criteria (RECIST v1.0) for target lesions: CR=Disappearance of all target lesions; PR = \>=30% decrease in the sum of the longest diameter of target lesions, and SD=Neither sufficient shrinkage to qualify for PR nor sufficient increase to qualify for progressive disease,.

GroupValue95% CI
Arm B (Pembrolizumab, Tamoxifen)0
Percentage of Participants With Tumor Responses Secondary · Up to 24 months

Tumor responses will be classified using the Immune Related Response-Criteria (irRC)) through study completion.

GroupValue95% CI
Arm B (Pembrolizumab, Tamoxifen)0
Duration of Response (DOR) Secondary · Up to 24 weeks

The duration of overall response is measured from the time measurement criteria are met for CR or PR (whichever is first recorded) until the first date that recurrent or progressive disease is objectively documented (taking as reference for progressive disease the smallest measurements recorded since the treatment started). The duration of overall CR is measured from the time measurement criteria are first met for CR until the first date that recurrent disease is objectively documented. Duration of stable disease is measured from the start of the treatment until the criteria for progression ar

GroupValue95% CI
Arm B (Pembrolizumab, Tamoxifen)NANA – NA
Median Progression Free Survival (PFS) Secondary · Up to 27 months

Progression-free survival (PFS) is defined as the duration of time from start of treatment to time of progression or death from any cause on study, whichever occurs first. Will use median PFS (computed by the Kaplan-Meier estimator) to summarize. The respective confidence intervals will be computed as well.

GroupValue95% CI
Arm B (Pembrolizumab, Tamoxifen)NANA – NA
Median Overall Survival (OS) Secondary · Up to 27 months

Will use median OS (computed by the Kaplan-Meier estimator) to summarize from initiation of study treatment to the time of death from any cause on study. The respective confidence intervals will be computed as well.

GroupValue95% CI
Arm B (Pembrolizumab, Tamoxifen)NANA – NA

Sponsor's own description

This phase II trial studies how well pembrolizumab and tamoxifen with or without vorinostat work for the treatment of estrogen receptor positive breast cancer. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Estrogen can cause the growth of breast cancer cells. Hormone therapy with tamoxifen may may fight breast cancer by blocking the use of estrogen by the tumor cells. Vorinostat may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. This trial is being done to find a drug combination to better control estrogen receptor positive breast cancer and reduce the number of pills taken.

Publications & conference data

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

  1. Epigenetic mechanisms in breast cancer therapy and resistance.
    Garcia-Martinez L, Zhang Y, Nakata Y, Chan HL, et al · · 2021 · cited 319× · PMID 33741974 · DOI 10.1038/s41467-021-22024-3
  2. Epigenetic regulation in the tumor microenvironment: molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targets.
    Yang J, Xu J, Wang W, Zhang B, et al · · 2023 · cited 251× · PMID 37217462 · DOI 10.1038/s41392-023-01480-x
  3. Recent developments in epigenetic cancer therapeutics: clinical advancement and emerging trends.
    Nepali K, Liou JP. · · 2021 · cited 122× · PMID 33840388 · DOI 10.1186/s12929-021-00721-x
  4. Targeted Therapy and Mechanisms of Drug Resistance in Breast Cancer.
    Kinnel B, Singh SK, Oprea-Ilies G, Singh R. · · 2023 · cited 96× · PMID 36831661 · DOI 10.3390/cancers15041320
  5. Prognostic and therapeutic role of tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte subtypes in breast cancer.
    Nelson MA, Ngamcherdtrakul W, Luoh SW, Yantasee W. · · 2021 · cited 88× · PMID 33963482 · DOI 10.1007/s10555-021-09968-0
  6. Vorinostat (SAHA) and Breast Cancer: An Overview.
    Wawruszak A, Borkiewicz L, Okon E, Kukula-Koch W, et al · · 2021 · cited 73× · PMID 34572928 · DOI 10.3390/cancers13184700
  7. Tackling tumor microenvironment through epigenetic tools to improve cancer immunotherapy.
    Lodewijk I, Nunes SP, Henrique R, Jerónimo C, et al · · 2021 · cited 58× · PMID 33761971 · DOI 10.1186/s13148-021-01046-0
  8. Epigenetic drugs in cancer therapy.
    Suraweera A, O'Byrne KJ, Richard DJ. · · 2025 · cited 50× · PMID 40011240 · DOI 10.1007/s10555-025-10253-7

Verify or expand the search:

Other trials of Pembrolizumab

Trials testing the same drug.

Other recruiting trials for Anatomic Stage IV Breast Cancer AJCC v8

Currently open trials in the same condition.

Other University of California, San Francisco trials

Trials by the same sponsor.

Verify against primary sources

Data sources for this page

Drug Landscape aggregates and links these public records for informational use only. Always verify against the primary source before clinical or regulatory decisions. Canonical URL: https://druglandscape.com/trial/NCT04190056.

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