New drug cocktail aims to shrink melanoma before surgery

NCT ID NCT04207086

Ongoing Disease control Sponsor: Melanoma Institute Australia Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This phase II trial tests two drugs, pembrolizumab and lenvatinib, given before surgery to people with stage III melanoma that can be removed. The goal is to see if the combination can shrink or eliminate the tumor before the operation. Twenty-one participants will receive the drugs for six weeks, then have surgery to check how well the treatment worked.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and lenvatinib (Lenvima)
What this could lead to: If successful, this combination could become a new pre-surgery treatment option to reduce or eliminate melanoma before surgery, potentially improving long-term outcomes.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-phase (phase II) study with only 21 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The drugs can cause significant side effects, and the trial is not randomized, limiting comparisons.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

cutaneous melanoma melanoma

As listed by the trial registrant

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

MELANOMA STAGE III

Contacts and locations

Locations

Melanoma Institute Australia

North Sydney, New South Wales, 2060, Australia

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