Individualized neoantigen therapy intismeran autogene (intismeran) plus pembrolizumab (pembro) in resected melanoma: 5-year update of the KEYNOTE-942 study.

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Authors: Matteo Salvatore Carlino, Adnan Khattak, Tarek Meniawy, George Ansstas, Matthew H. Taylor, Kevin B. Kim, Meredith McKean, Georgina Venetia Long, Ryan J. Sullivan, Mark B. Faries, Thuy Thanh Thi Tran, Charles Lance Cowey
+8 more Andrew L. Pecora, Theresa M. Medina, Victoria G. Atkinson, Clemens Krepler, Thomas Jemielita, Huzhang Mao, Mariana Faria‐Urbina, Janice M. Mehnert
Cited by: 1

Abstract

9500 Background: Intismeran is an mRNA-based individualized neoantigen therapy designed to increase endogenous neoantigen-specific antitumor T-cell responses. The phase 2b KEYNOTE-942 study of high-risk resected melanoma showed clinically meaningful improvements in recurrence-free survival (RFS) and distant metastasis–free survival (DMFS) with intismeran + pembro vs pembro alone at primary analysis. Intismeran + pembro had a manageable safety profile without potentiation of immune-related AEs vs pembro alone. Clinical benefits of intismeran + pembro were sustained at 3 y, with a 49% risk reduction of RFS and 62% risk reduction of DMFS. Intismeran + pembro also induced greater novel T-cell clonal expansion vs pembro, which was positively associated with RFS for intismeran + pembro but not pembro alone. We report results from KEYNOTE-942 after 5 y of planned follow-up. Methods: Eligible participants (pts; aged ≥18 y) with resected stage IIIB–IV cutaneous melanoma were randomized 2:1 to receive 9 doses of intismeran 1 mg IM Q3W + 18 doses of pembro 200 mg IV Q3W or 18 doses of pembro 200 mg Q3W alone. Primary endpoint was RFS; secondary endpoints included DMFS and safety. Exploratory endpoints included OS. No alpha was assigned to this analysis. Results: From Jul 2019 to Sep 2021,157 pts were randomized to intismeran + pembro (n=107) or pembro (n=50). With an additional 2 y of follow-up (data cutoff, Dec 15, 2025; median planned follow-up, 60.3 [range, 50.5–76.4] mo) after the 3-y analysis, minimal new events occurred. RFS risk reduction for intismeran + pembro vs pembro alone was 49% (HR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.29–0.89), with landmark 5-y RFS rates of 68.8% (95% CI, 56.3%–78.3%) for intismeran + pembro vs 49.1% (95% CI, 33.3%–63.0%) for pembro alone. DMFS risk reduction was 59% (HR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.20–0.84). In the intismeran + pembro arm, 7 pts (6.5%) died (disease progression, n=4) vs 7 pts (14.0%) in the pembro arm (disease progression, n=6). There was a trend for improved OS (HR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.17–1.35); 5-y rate was 92.2% (95% CI, 84.2%–96.3%) for intismeran + pembro vs 71.3% (95% CI, 35.4%–89.6%) for pembro alone. The safety profile of intismeran was consistent with prior analyses. Conclusions: After a median 5 y of follow-up, intismeran + pembro continued to prolong RFS and DMFS, along with a trend for improved OS vs pembro alone in pts with high-risk resected melanoma. These long-term findings show that intismeran + pembro treatment benefits were sustained and durable over time, despite all pts having completed study treatment before primary analysis (2021). As reported previously, intismeran was well tolerated, with a manageable safety profile for intismeran + pembro. Intismeran + pembro is being evaluated in a phase 3 study of high-risk resected stage II–IV melanoma (INTerpath-001; NCT05933577) and in studies of pts with other malignancies. Clinical trial information: NCT03897881 .

Fields of Study & Subjects

CAR-T cell therapy research Cancer Immunotherapy and Biomarkers Cutaneous Melanoma Detection and Management

Publication details

Journal / source
Journal of Clinical Oncology
Publisher
American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
Volume
44
Issue
16_suppl
Pages
9500–9500
Publication date
28 May 2026
Language
EN