🏛️ Verified NIH Record • Updated 2026-07-09

Pembrolizumab Followed by Chemotherapy for the Treatment of Patients With Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma (NCT06164275)

A Phase II Multi-Center Open-Label Trial of Six Doses of Pembrolizumab Monotherapy Prior to Limited Chemotherapy as Front-Line Therapy for Patients With Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma, Including Elderly Patients.

🔵 Active, Not Recruiting Phase2 💊 Investigational Drug / Biologic Sponsor: Northwestern University

🩺 Plain-English Summary (8th-Grade Level)

This phase II trial tests how well giving pembrolizumab followed by chemotherapy with doxorubicin, vinblastine and dacarbazine works to treat patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma. Pembrolizumab is a type of drug called a "monoclonal antibody (mAb)" that uses the body's immune system to help fight and kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy drugs, such as doxorubicin, vinblastine and dacarbazine, work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing or by stopping them from spreading. Giving pembrolizumab followed by chemotherapy may work to treat patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma.

Who can join: To join this study, participants generally need to meet the listed inclusion criteria (35 items) and avoid the listed exclusions (27 items).

Location: Stanford Cancer Center — Stanford, California

Age range: 18 Years

🧪 Interventions in This Study

📋 "Do I Qualify?" — 1-Minute Self Screener

Instant Checklist

Check every box below. If you can check all of them, you may meet the study's basic screening requirements (final eligibility is confirmed by the site team).

Usually NOT eligible if any of the following apply:

  • Exclusion Criteria:
  • Diagnosis of nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma
  • Patients who have had prior systemic chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, or other systemic therapy (including investigational agents) for the treatment of cHL. NOTE: If patient received major surgery, they must have recovered adequately from the toxicity and/or complications from the intervention prior to starting therapy. No radiation therapy for Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) will be allowed prior to and while participation on this clinical trial, including for system control
  • Patients who are actively participating in a clinical trial with an investigational agent or device or has participated in a clinical trial with an investigational agent or device within 30 days of the anticipated treatment start date. NOTE: Patients who have entered the follow-up phase of an investigational study will be eligible to participate as long as ≥ 30 days has elapsed since the administration of the last dose of an investigational treatment for a disease/condition other than cHL
  • Patients who have known active central nervous system (CNS) metastases and/or lymphomatous meningitis are not eligible
  • Patients who have a history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to pembrolizumab, and/or any of its excipients
  • Patients who have any contraindication to the use of any of the chemotherapeutic agents used in this study
  • Patients who have had an allogenic tissue or solid organ transplant
  • Patients who are pregnant or nursing NOTE: Pregnant persons are excluded from this study because the chemotherapy regimen (AVD) includes adriamycin (also known as doxorubicin), which is an anthracycline; anthracyclines are known chemotherapy agents with the potential for teratogenic or abortifacient effects. In addition, the investigational agent, pembrolizumab, has the potential for embryo-fetal toxicity. Because there is an unknown but potential risk for adverse events in nursing infants secondary to treatment of the mother with adriamycin (doxorubicin) as part of the AVD chemotherapy regimen, and the investigational agent, pembrolizumab, breastfeeding should be discontinued if the mother is treated with AVD and/or pembrolizumab.
  • Patients who have a diagnosis of immunodeficiency or are receiving systemic steroid therapy or any other form of immunosuppressive therapy within 7 days prior to registration are not eligible. NOTE: Replacement therapy (e.g., thyroxine, insulin, physiologic corticosteroid replacement therapy for adrenal or pituitary insufficiency) is not considered a form of systemic treatment and is allowed
  • Patients who have a known history of active TB (Bacillus Tuberculosis) are not eligible
  • Patients who have an uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to any of the following, are not eligible:

🔍 Extracted verbatim from the official NIH eligibility criteria. Always confirm with the study coordinator.

📍 All Participating Trial Locations (4 Sites)

  • Stanford Cancer Center — Stanford, California
  • Northwestern University — Chicago, Illinois
  • Northwestern Delnor IL258 — Geneva, Illinois
  • Cadence Health - CDH — Warrenville, Illinois

💰 Cost, Insurance & Patient Rights

  • 100% Free Items: The investigational treatment and protocol-required procedures are supplied at zero cost by the sponsor.
  • Routine Patient Care: Under federal law (ACA § 2709) and many state statutes, routine care costs are covered during participation.
  • Voluntary Participation: You may withdraw at any time without affecting your standard medical care.

More studies in Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma

Explore by condition: All Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma clinical trials

💡 How to Participate

  1. Check the checklist above to see if you may qualify.
  2. Review the official NIH record below to find the coordinating site.
  3. Ask about the visit schedule, what is covered at no cost, and any travel support.
  4. Confirm with your own doctor before making a decision.
🏛️ View Official NIH Record ↗