Merkel Cell Carcinoma Clinical Trials (May 2026): 28 Recruiting Interventional Studies

Last updated: May 15, 2026

Current Clinical Trial Landscape

About Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC):

MCC is a rare, aggressive neuroendocrine skin cancer. ~80% are associated with Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV). It primarily affects older adults and immunocompromised patients. Highly responsive to immunotherapy.

Active research areas in 2026:

Checkpoint inhibitors: avelumab, pembrolizumab, combinations
Neoadjuvant immunotherapy for resectable disease
Oncolytic virus therapy
Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT, Lu-177 dotatate) combined with immunotherapy — leverages MCC's neuroendocrine biology
DLL3 bispecific T-cell engagers (tarlatamab) combined with radiation
Immunotherapy protocols for kidney transplant recipients (sirolimus-based graft-rejection mitigation)

Standard of care: Localized: surgery + radiation. Metastatic: avelumab (Bavencio) or pembrolizumab (FDA-approved). MCC is highly immunogenic with ~60% response rates to checkpoint inhibitors.

Recruiting Trials by Treatment Setting

Localized / Neoadjuvant

Before or alongside surgery for resectable disease:

NCT05496036 - Neoadjuvant PD-1 blockade in resectable MCC

Metastatic / Advanced (First-Line)

For previously untreated metastatic disease:

NCT05078047 - Standard vs alternative IO administration schedules

Relapsed/Refractory

After progression on checkpoint inhibitors:

NCT06947928 - IFx-Hu2.0 followed by pembrolizumab in checkpoint-inhibitor resistant MCC
NCT05583708 - Lu-177 dotatate (PRRT) + pembrolizumab for advanced MCC (Phase 2, MCC-specific iPRRT study)
NCT06814496 - Tarlatamab (DLL3 bispecific T-cell engager) + radiation in DLL3-expressing tumors including MCC (Phase 1/2 RABBIT)
NCT07115043 - AZD6750 in select advanced solid tumors
NCT07472322 - ASTX727 + retifanlimab after checkpoint inhibitor progression (Phase 1/2)

Special Populations

Trials addressing groups historically excluded from standard immunotherapy:

NCT05896839 - Nivolumab + ipilimumab + sirolimus + prednisone in kidney transplant recipients with unresectable/metastatic MCC or cutaneous melanoma (Phase 2 — sirolimus and prednisone are intended to mitigate graft rejection while permitting checkpoint blockade)

Trials by Treatment Approach

Checkpoint Inhibitors (19 trials)

PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors are the backbone of MCC treatment. Avelumab was the first FDA-approved treatment for metastatic MCC. Combinations and new agents are being studied. View all →

Oncolytic Virus Therapy (3 trials)

Oncolytic viruses can directly kill tumor cells and stimulate immune responses.

View all oncolytic virus trials →

Combination Immunotherapy

Combinations of checkpoint inhibitors with other immunomodulators are being explored to overcome resistance.

Targeted Therapy

Novel targeted agents are being tested for patients who progress on immunotherapy.

NCT06021626 - CRD3874-SI in solid tumors including MCC

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find Merkel cell carcinoma clinical trials?

Paste your medical summary into ClinTrialFinder to get AI-matched Merkel cell cancer trials in minutes. The tool considers your disease stage, prior immunotherapy response, and MCPyV status.

What Merkel cell carcinoma trials are currently recruiting?

There are 28 recruiting interventional trials for Merkel cell carcinoma including checkpoint inhibitors, neoadjuvant PD-1 blockade, PRRT (Lu-177 dotatate) combined with immunotherapy, DLL3 bispecific T-cell engagers, oncolytic virus therapy, and immunotherapy protocols for kidney transplant recipients.

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