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Screening Phase

Scroll to the screening window timeframe below to see assessment and procedures.

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Within 28 days before C1D1

Informed consent
Inclusion and exclusion criteria
Demography
Past and current medical history
Disease history
Prior anticancer therapies
Archival tumor tissue collection

If archival tumor tissue is not available, fresh biopsy sample is required. See Protocol Section 8.6 for further details.

HIV, hepatitis B, and C screening

HIV: at the Investigator’s discretion unless locally required.

Iron deficiency testing (ferritin, TSAT)

See Protocol Section 8.2.4 and Appendix 5.

12-lead ECG

See Protocol Section 8.2.3.

Serum biomarker sample

Once during Screening. See Protocol Section 8.6. See Protocol Appendix 7 for China-specific guidance.

AE and SAE review

From the time of signing ICF to Safety Follow-up Visit.

Concomitant medication and procedures review

From the time of signing ICF to Safety Follow-up Visit.

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Within 14 days before C1D1

CT Scan / MRI

See Protocol Section 8.1.1.

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Within 7 days before C1D1

Physical examination
Pregnancy test (POCBP only)

Serum only at Screening.

Hematology and biochemistry

See Protocol Section 8.2.4 and Appendix 5.

Coagulation

See Protocol Section 8.2.4 and Appendix 5.

CRP

See Protocol Section 8.2.4 and Appendix 5.

Routine urinalysis

Urinalysis per dipstick testing. Microscopic examination if blood or protein abnormality. Protein analysis if dipstick 2+ (see Protocol Section 8.2.4 and Appendix 5).

ECOG performance status
Vital signs

Height, weight, BMI, blood pressure, pulse, respiratory rate, and temperature. See Protocol Section 8.2.2.

EQ-5D-5L

See Protocol Section 8.1.2.

EORTC QLQ-C30

See Protocol Section 8.1.2.

Custom EORTC form (5 questions)

See Protocol Section 8.1.2.

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Within 3 days before or on C1D1

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Recheck before randomization.

Randomization

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©2026 Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany is an affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.
©2026 Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany or its affiliates. All rights reserved.