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NCT04381650

A Study of TAK-981 Given With Pembrolizumab in Participants With Select Advanced or Metastatic Solid Tumors

Completed Phase 1, PHASE2 Results posted Last updated 10 December 2025
What this trial tests

Phase 1, PHASE2 trial testing TAK-981 in Advanced or Metastatic Solid Tumors in 161 participants. Completed in 29 October 2024.

Timeline
17 August 2020
Primary endpoint
29 October 2024
29 October 2024

Quick facts

Lead sponsorTakeda
PhasePhase 1, PHASE2
StatusCompleted
Study typeINTERVENTIONAL
Allocationnon randomized
Designsequential
Maskingnone
Primary purposetreatment
Enrollment161
Start date17 August 2020
Primary completion29 October 2024
Estimated completion29 October 2024
Sites52 locations across Japan, Poland, Lithuania, Switzerland, China, Croatia, United States, Brazil

Drugs / interventions tested

Conditions studied

Sponsor

Takeda — full company profile →

Who can join

18 and older, any sex, with Advanced or Metastatic Solid Tumors. 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.

Phase 1: Number of Participants With One or More Treatment Emergent Adverse Events (TEAEs) Primary · Up to approximately 24 months

An adverse event (AE) is any untoward medical occurrence in a participant administered a medicinal investigational drug. The untoward medical occurrence does not necessarily have to have a causal relationship with treatment. A TEAE is defined as an AE that occurs after administration of first dose of study drug and through 30 days after last dose of study drug or until start of subsequent antineoplastic therapy. AEs were evaluated according to National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI CTCAE), Version 5.0 except cytokine release syndrome (CRS), which was grad

GroupValue95% CI
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 40 mg3
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 60 mg6
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 90 mg33
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 120 mg19
Phase 1: Number of Participants With Dose Limiting Toxicities (DLTs) Primary · Up to Cycle 1 (each cycle was of 21 days)

DLTs were evaluated according to NCI CTCAE Version 5.0 except CRS, which was graded according to ASTCT Consensus Grading for CRS.

GroupValue95% CI
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 40 mg0
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 60 mg0
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 90 mg2
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 120 mg1
Phase 1: Number of Participants With Grade 3 or Higher Treatment Emergent Adverse Events (TEAEs) Primary · Up to approximately 24 months

AE means any untoward medical occurrence in a participant administered a pharmaceutical product. An AE can therefore be any unfavorable and unintended sign, symptom, or disease temporally associated with the use of a medicinal product whether or not it is related to the medicinal product. A TEAE was defined as an adverse event which occurred on or after the first dose of study drug and no more than 30 days after the last dose of study drug. A severity grade was evaluated as per the NCI CTCAE Version 5.0, except for CRS, which was assessed by ASTCT Consensus Grading for CRS.

GroupValue95% CI
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 40 mg0
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 60 mg2
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 90 mg20
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 120 mg15
Phase 1: Number of Participants With One or More Serious Adverse Events (SAEs) Primary · Up to approximately 24 months

An SAE is any untoward medical occurrence that results in death; is life-threatening; requires inpatient hospitalization or prolongation of present hospitalization; results in persistent or significant disability/incapacity; is a congenital anomaly/birth defect or is a medically important event that may not be immediately life-threatening or result in death or hospitalization, but may jeopardize the participant or may require intervention to prevent one of other outcomes listed in definition above, or involves suspected transmission via a medicinal product of an infectious agent.

GroupValue95% CI
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 40 mg0
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 60 mg3
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 90 mg17
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 120 mg10
Phase 1: Number of Participants With One or More TEAEs Leading to Dose Modifications and Treatment Discontinuation Primary · Up to approximately 24 months

An AE is any untoward medical occurrence in a participant administered a medicinal investigational drug. The untoward medical occurrence does not necessarily have to have a causal relationship with treatment. A TEAE is defined as an AE that occurs after administration of first dose of study drug and through 30 days after last dose of study drug or until start of subsequent antineoplastic therapy.

TEAE Resulting in Dose Modifications of TAK-981
GroupValue95% CI
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 40 mg0
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 60 mg3
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 90 mg22
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 120 mg11
TEAE Resulting in Dose Modifications of Pembrolizumab
GroupValue95% CI
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 40 mg0
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 60 mg3
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 90 mg15
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 120 mg4
TEAE Resulting in Drug Discontinuation of TAK-981
GroupValue95% CI
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 40 mg0
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 60 mg1
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 90 mg3
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 120 mg2
TEAE Resulting in Drug Discontinuation of Pembrolizumab
GroupValue95% CI
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 40 mg0
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 60 mg1
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 90 mg4
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 120 mg1
Phase 1: Number of Participants With Clinically Significant Laboratory Values Primary · Up to approximately 24 months

Laboratory parameters included clinical chemistry, hematology, and urinalysis. Participants with at least 1 Grade 3 or 4 Lab Abnormalities were reported.

Hematology
GroupValue95% CI
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 40 mg1
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 60 mg3
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 90 mg7
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 120 mg6
Serum Chemistry
GroupValue95% CI
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 40 mg1
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 60 mg1
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 90 mg7
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 120 mg5
Coagulation
GroupValue95% CI
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 40 mg0
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 60 mg0
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 90 mg0
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 120 mg1
Phase 2: Overall Response Rate (ORR) as Assessed by the Investigator According to RECIST, Version 1.1 Primary · Up to approximately 25 months

ORR is defined as the percentage of participants who achieve Complete Response (CR) and Partial Response (PR) (determined by the investigator) during the study according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) Version 1.1.

GroupValue95% CI
Dose Expansion: Cohort A: Non-squamous NSCLC TAK-981 90 mg202.52 – 55.61
Dose Expansion: Cohort A: Non-squamous NSCLC TAK-981 120 mg00.00 – 36.94
Dose Expansion: Cohort B: Cervical Cancer TAK-981 90 mg3011.89 – 54.28
Dose Expansion: Cohort C: MSS-CRC TAK-981 90 mg00.00 – 33.63
Dose Expansion: Cohort D: Cutaneous Melanoma TAK-981 90 mg2510.69 – 44.87
Dose Expansion: Cohort E: Squamous NSCLC TAK-981 90 mg7.70.19 – 36.03
Dose Expansion: Cohort F: CPI Refractory Squamous and Non-squamous NSCLC TAK-981 90 mg00.00 – 60.24
Phase 1: Cmax: Maximum Observed Plasma Concentration for TAK-981 Secondary · Cycle 1 (each cycle is 21 days) Days 1 and 8 pre-dose and at multiple timepoints (up to 24 hours)
Cycle 1 Day 1
GroupValue95% CI
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 40 mg335± 282
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 60 mg728± 396
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 90 mg888± 423
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 120 mg1290± 571
Cycle 1 Day 8
GroupValue95% CI
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 40 mg280± 167
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 60 mg448± 206
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 90 mg780± 524
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 120 mg1270± 770
Phase 1: Tmax: Time to Reach the Maximum Plasma Concentration (Cmax) for TAK-981 Secondary · Cycle 1 (each cycle is 21 days) Days 1 and 8 pre-dose and at multiple timepoints (up to 24 hours)
Cycle 1 Day 1
GroupValue95% CI
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 40 mg1.221.20 – 1.23
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 60 mg1.271.00 – 1.47
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 90 mg1.171.00 – 1.88
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 120 mg1.201.00 – 1.72
Cycle 1 Day 8
GroupValue95% CI
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 40 mg1.181.17 – 1.25
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 60 mg1.411.00 – 1.70
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 90 mg1.221.00 – 3.10
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 120 mg1.280.98 – 1.50
Phase 1: AUC0-t: Area Under the Plasma Concentration-time Curve From Time 0 to Time t Over the Dosing Interval for TAK-981 Secondary · Cycle 1 (each cycle is 21 days) Days 1 and 8 pre-dose and at multiple timepoints (up to 24 hours)
Cycle 1 Day 1
GroupValue95% CI
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 40 mg880± 427
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 60 mg1370± 517
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 90 mg1950± 735
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 120 mg2580± 949
Cycle 1 Day 8
GroupValue95% CI
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 40 mg814± 290
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 60 mg976± 232
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 90 mg1780± 908
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 120 mg2640± 1260
Phase 1: AUC∞: Area Under the Plasma Concentration-time Curve From Time 0 to Infinity for TAK-981 Secondary · Cycle 1 (each cycle is 21 days) Days 1 and 8 pre-dose and at multiple timepoints (up to 24 hours)
Cycle 1 Day 1
GroupValue95% CI
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 40 mg909± 432
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 60 mg1400± 530
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 90 mg2020± 760
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 120 mg2660± 1020
Cycle 1 Day 8
GroupValue95% CI
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 40 mg845± 292
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 60 mg1010± 233
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 90 mg1830± 942
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 120 mg2750± 1320
Phase 1: t1/2z: Terminal Disposition Phase Half-life for TAK-981 Secondary · Cycle 1 (each cycle is 21 days) Days 1 and 8 pre-dose and at multiple timepoints (up to 24 hours)
Cycle 1 Day 1
GroupValue95% CI
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 40 mg5.885.82 – 6.16
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 60 mg5.585.04 – 6.03
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 90 mg5.723.31 – 10.43
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 120 mg6.795.93 – 8.14
Cycle 1 Day 8
GroupValue95% CI
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 40 mg5.835.69 – 6.33
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 60 mg5.685.22 – 6.44
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 90 mg6.064.18 – 9.13
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 120 mg6.675.26 – 8.08

Adverse events — posted to ClinicalTrials.gov

Time frame: Phase 1: Up to approximately 24 months, Phase 2: Up to approximately 25 months. Reporting threshold: 5%. Adverse-event reports describe events observed during the trial — not all are caused by the drug.

Dose Escalation: TAK-981 40 mg
Serious: 0/3 (0%)
Deaths: 2/3
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 60 mg
Serious: 3/6 (50%)
Deaths: 2/6
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 90 mg
Serious: 17/33 (52%)
Deaths: 8/33
Dose Escalation: TAK-981 120 mg
Serious: 10/19 (53%)
Deaths: 4/19
Dose Expansion: Cohort A: Non-squamous NSCLC TAK-981 90 mg
Serious: 3/14 (21%)
Deaths: 2/14
Dose Expansion: Cohort A: Non-squamous NSCLC TAK-981 120 mg
Serious: 4/9 (44%)
Deaths: 4/9
Dose Expansion: Cohort B: Cervical Cancer TAK-981 90 mg
Serious: 11/21 (52%)
Deaths: 9/21
Dose Expansion: Cohort C: MSS-CRC TAK-981 90 mg
Serious: 4/9 (44%)
Deaths: 2/9
Dose Expansion: Cohort D: Cutaneous Melanoma TAK-981 90 mg
Serious: 14/28 (50%)
Deaths: 8/28
Dose Expansion: Cohort E: Squamous NSCLC TAK-981 90 mg
Serious: 5/15 (33%)
Deaths: 2/15
Dose Expansion: Cohort F: CPI Refractory Squamous or Non-squamous NSCLC TAK-981 90 mg
Serious: 3/4 (75%)
Deaths: 1/4

Serious adverse events (76 terms)

ReactionSystemDose Escalation: TAK-981 4…Dose Escalation: TAK-981 6…Dose Escalation: TAK-981 9…Dose Escalation: TAK-981 1…Dose Expansion: Cohort A: …Dose Expansion: Cohort A: …Dose Expansion: Cohort B: …Dose Expansion: Cohort C: …Dose Expansion: Cohort D: …Dose Expansion: Cohort E: …Dose Expansion: Cohort F: …
Cytokine release syndromeImmune system disorders
AnaemiaBlood and lymphatic system disorders
Atrial fibrillationCardiac disorders
Biliary obstructionHepatobiliary disorders
Large intestinal obstructionGastrointestinal disorders
PneumoniaInfections and infestations
Pneumonia bacterialInfections and infestations
SepsisInfections and infestations
VomitingGastrointestinal disorders
Abdominal distensionGastrointestinal disorders
Acute myeloid leukaemiaNeoplasms benign, malignant and unspecified (incl cysts and polyps)
Adrenal insufficiencyEndocrine disorders
Anaphylactic shockImmune system disorders
Aortic aneurysm ruptureVascular disorders
Aplasia pure red cellBlood and lymphatic system disorders
ArrhythmiaCardiac disorders
AscitesGastrointestinal disorders
Atrioventricular blockCardiac disorders
BronchitisInfections and infestations
Cancer painNeoplasms benign, malignant and unspecified (incl cysts and polyps)
Cervix carcinomaNeoplasms benign, malignant and unspecified (incl cysts and polyps)
Cholangitis acuteHepatobiliary disorders
Colorectal cancerNeoplasms benign, malignant and unspecified (incl cysts and polyps)
DermatomyositisSkin and subcutaneous tissue disorders
Device related thrombosisGeneral disorders
Other adverse events (249 terms — click to expand)

ReactionSystemDose Escalation: TAK-981 4…Dose Escalation: TAK-981 6…Dose Escalation: TAK-981 9…Dose Escalation: TAK-981 1…Dose Expansion: Cohort A: …Dose Expansion: Cohort A: …Dose Expansion: Cohort B: …Dose Expansion: Cohort C: …Dose Expansion: Cohort D: …Dose Expansion: Cohort E: …Dose Expansion: Cohort F: …
PyrexiaGeneral disorders
AnaemiaBlood and lymphatic system disorders
Aspartate aminotransferase increasedInvestigations
FatigueGeneral disorders
NauseaGastrointestinal disorders
ChillsGeneral disorders
CoughRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
Decreased appetiteMetabolism and nutrition disorders
DiarrhoeaGastrointestinal disorders
StomatitisGastrointestinal disorders
Alanine aminotransferase increasedInvestigations
Infusion related reactionInjury, poisoning and procedural complications
VitiligoSkin and subcutaneous tissue disorders
VomitingGastrointestinal disorders
HeadacheNervous system disorders
Platelet count decreasedInvestigations
PruritusSkin and subcutaneous tissue disorders
Urinary tract infectionInfections and infestations
Abdominal pain upperGastrointestinal disorders
ArthralgiaMusculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders
Blood alkaline phosphatase increasedInvestigations
Blood lactate dehydrogenase increasedInvestigations
DyspnoeaRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
HypokalaemiaMetabolism and nutrition disorders
HypothyroidismEndocrine disorders
MyalgiaMusculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders
Oedema peripheralGeneral disorders
AstheniaGeneral disorders
Dermatitis acneiformSkin and subcutaneous tissue disorders
Lymphocyte count decreasedInvestigations
MalaiseGeneral disorders
NeutropeniaBlood and lymphatic system disorders
Rash maculo-papularSkin and subcutaneous tissue disorders
ThrombocytopeniaBlood and lymphatic system disorders
Abdominal painGastrointestinal disorders
Abnormal loss of weightMetabolism and nutrition disorders
Back painMusculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders
Blood creatinine increasedInvestigations
CD4 lymphocytes decreasedInvestigations
COVID-19Infections and infestations

Most-reported serious reactions: Cytokine release syndrome, Anaemia, Atrial fibrillation, Biliary obstruction, Large intestinal obstruction, Pneumonia, Pneumonia bacterial, Sepsis.

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04381650 adverse events section.

Sponsor's own description

TAK-981 is being tested in combination with pembrolizumab to treat participants who have select advanced or metastatic solid tumors. The study aims are to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of TAK-981 in combination with pembrolizumab. Participants will be on this combination treatment for 21-day cycles. They will continue with this treatment for up to 24 months or until participants meet any discontinuation criteria.

Publications & conference data

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

  1. A small-molecule SUMOylation inhibitor activates antitumor immune responses and potentiates immune therapies in preclinical models.
    Lightcap ES, Yu P, Grossman S, Song K, et al · · 2021 · cited 111× · PMID 34524860 · DOI 10.1126/scitranslmed.aba7791
  2. Targeting pancreatic cancer by TAK-981: a SUMOylation inhibitor that activates the immune system and blocks cancer cell cycle progression in a preclinical model.
    Kumar S, Schoonderwoerd MJA, Kroonen JS, de Graaf IJ, et al · · 2022 · cited 110× · PMID 35074907 · DOI 10.1136/gutjnl-2021-324834
  3. ATF3 and CH25H regulate effector trogocytosis and anti-tumor activities of endogenous and immunotherapeutic cytotoxic T lymphocytes.
    Lu Z, McBrearty N, Chen J, Tomar VS, et al · · 2022 · cited 68× · PMID 36070682 · DOI 10.1016/j.cmet.2022.08.007
  4. Activated SUMOylation restricts MHC class I antigen presentation to confer immune evasion in cancer.
    Demel UM, Böger M, Yousefian S, Grunert C, et al · · 2022 · cited 66× · PMID 35499080 · DOI 10.1172/jci152383
  5. Therapeutic Potential of Targeting the SUMO Pathway in Cancer.
    Kukkula A, Ojala VK, Mendez LM, Sistonen L, et al · · 2021 · cited 61× · PMID 34503213 · DOI 10.3390/cancers13174402
  6. The SUMOylation inhibitor subasumstat potentiates rituximab activity by IFN1-dependent macrophage and NK cell stimulation.
    Nakamura A, Grossman S, Song K, Xega K, et al · · 2022 · cited 58× · PMID 35226739 · DOI 10.1182/blood.2021014267
  7. Pharmacological Modulation of Ubiquitin-Proteasome Pathways in Oncogenic Signaling.
    Sharma A, Khan H, Singh TG, Grewal AK, et al · · 2021 · cited 51× · PMID 34769401 · DOI 10.3390/ijms222111971
  8. Ubiquitin and Ubiquitin-like Proteins in Cancer, Neurodegenerative Disorders, and Heart Diseases.
    Hwang JT, Lee A, Kho C. · · 2022 · cited 49× · PMID 35563444 · DOI 10.3390/ijms23095053

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Other trials of TAK-981

Trials testing the same drug.

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Currently open trials in the same condition.

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Trials by the same sponsor.

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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/NCT04381650.

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