FORTIFI-HN01: A Study of Ficerafusp Alfa (BCA101) or Placebo in Combination With Pembrolizumab in First-Line PD-L1-pos, R or M HNSCC

Exclusion criteria

• Disease suitable for local therapy administered with curative intent. • Prior treatment with anti-TGFβ therapy. • Prior therapy with an anti-EGFR antibody (exception: radio sensitizing agents and multimodal treatment for locoregionally advanced disease). • Prior history of Grade ≥2 intolerance or hypersensitivity reaction to anti-EGFR therapy or other murine proteins. • Prior therapy with an immune checkpoint inhibitor completed within 6 months prior to study treatment initiation. • Progressive disease \<6 months from completion of curative intent systemic therapy for locoregionally advanced HNSCC. • Life expectancy less than 3 months. • Known active central nervous system metastases, history of spinal cord compression from tumor involvement, a history of carcinomatous meningitis, or leptomeningeal disease are excluded. • Current active major bleeding, or a recent major bleeding episode within 4 weeks prior to enrollment. • Subject participated in another clinical study or received treatment with another investigational drug must wait at least 5 half-lives of the treatment received or 4 weeks (whichever is shorter) following prior therapy. • Active autoimmune disease requiring systemic treatment in the past 2 years. • Subjects with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection with active disease who meet the criteria for anti-HBV therapy and are not on a suppressive antiviral therapy prior to initiation of study treatment. • Subjects with a known history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) who have not completed curative antiviral treatment or have an HCV viral load above the limit of quantification at Screening. • Known history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). • Receipt of any organ transplantation, including autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplantation, with the exception of transplants that do not require immunosuppression. • Known to be diagnosed and/or treated for any other additional malignancy within 2 years prior to randomization with the exception of the following: curatively treated basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, and curatively resected in situ cervical cancer, and curatively resected in situ breast cancer, and low-risk early stage prostate cancer. • Any condition requiring systemic treatment with either corticosteroids (\>10 mg daily of prednisone or equivalent) or other immunosuppressive medication within 7 days prior to the first dose of study treatment, except for topical, intranasal, intrabronchial, or ocular steroids. • Use of a live or live attenuated vaccine within 4 weeks prior to Screening. Other Inclusion/Exclusion criteria may apply as defined in the protocol.