Keytruda takes on adcetris in battle against tough hodgkin lymphoma

NCT ID NCT02684292

Completed Disease control Sponsor: Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This completed Phase 3 trial tested whether the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab (Keytruda) works better than the targeted drug brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris) for people with classical Hodgkin lymphoma that has relapsed or not responded to prior therapy. 304 participants were randomly assigned to receive one of the two drugs for up to 35 three-week cycles. The main goals were to see if pembrolizumab could delay cancer progression and improve overall survival compared to brentuximab vedotin.

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 brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris)
What this could lead to: If pembrolizumab works better than brentuximab vedotin, it could offer a more effective treatment option for people with Hodgkin lymphoma that has come back or not responded to prior therapy.
What could go wrong: This is a completed Phase 3 trial, but results may not apply to all patients. Pembrolizumab can cause immune-related side effects, and it may not improve survival as hoped.

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.

autosomal dominant Parkinson disease 4 classic Hodgkin lymphoma Hodgkins lymphoma

As listed by the trial registrant

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

HODGKIN LYMPHOMA

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