New drug combo aims to outperform keytruda in head and neck cancer

NCT ID NCT07264075

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This Phase 3 trial is testing two new drug combinations—ivonescimab alone or with ligufalimab—against the standard treatment pembrolizumab (Keytruda) for people with advanced head and neck cancer that has come back or spread. The study will enroll about 780 participants to see if the new treatments help them live longer. The goal is to find a better first-line option for this type of cancer.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Ivonescimab (with or without ligufalimab) compared to pembrolizumab
What this could lead to
If successful, this could offer a new first-line treatment option for recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer, potentially improving survival.
What could go wrong
This is an early-stage Phase 3 trial, so results are not guaranteed. The experimental drugs may not outperform pembrolizumab, and side effects are possible.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Head and Neck Neoplasms head and neck squamous cell carcinoma Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Centre Guillaume Le Conquerant

    RECRUITING

    Le Havre, 76600, France

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