Synthekine Enters into Collaboration with Merck to Advance STK-012 Combination in Phase 2 NSCLC Trial
Friday, February 27, 2026
Synthekine has entered into a clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement with Merck to evaluate STK-012 in combination with Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) and standard chemotherapy.
STK-012 will be assessed in the ongoing SYNERGY-101 randomised Phase 2 trial. The study is comparing the safety and efficacy of STK-012 combined with standard-dose pembrolizumab and chemotherapy against standard-dose pembrolizumab and chemotherapy alone in this patient population.
The combination will be studied in patients with first-line, PD-L1 negative nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Earlier findings from a Phase 1b study showed encouraging activity for the triple combination in first-line PD-L1 negative nonsquamous NSCLC. The company reported a response rate of 50 per cent in this group, with data presented at the 2025 annual meeting of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer.
STK-012 is described as a first-in-class α/β-IL-2 receptor biased partial agonist. It is engineered to selectively stimulate antigen-activated T cells, which are linked to anti-tumour activity, while limiting stimulation of other immune cells such as natural killer cells that are associated with IL-2-related toxicity.
Under the agreement, Merck will supply pembrolizumab, its anti-PD-1 therapy marketed as Keytruda, for use in the study. The SYNERGY-101 trial is a global, randomised Phase 2 study and has already begun enrolment, with the first patient dosed in November 2025.
Both companies will retain full commercial rights to their respective products, whether used alone or in combination regimens.
Source: synthekine.com
