Merck Reports Keytruda Phase 3 Success, Failure
January 25 2023 - 7:44AM
Dow Jones News
By Colin Kellaher
Merck & Co. on Wednesday reported mixed results from a pair
of Phase 3 studies of its blockbuster cancer drug Keytruda.
The Kenilworth, N.J., drugmaker said a study evaluating Keytruda
in combination with standard of care chemotherapy showed a
statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in
overall survival versus chemotherapy alone for the first-line
treatment of patients with advanced or unresectable biliary tract
cancer.
However, Merck said it is stopping a study of Keytruda in
combination with enzalutamide and androgen-deprivation therapy in
patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer due to
futility. The company said an interim analysis showed the
combination didn't demonstrate an improvement in overall survival
or radiographic progression-free survival, the trial's dual primary
endpoints.
Merck, which is studying Keytruda in a raft of trials across a
wide variety of cancers and treatment settings, said it plans to
submit the study results in biliary tract cancer to regulatory
authorities.
Keytruda, a cancer drug that harnesses a patient's immune system
to fight tumors, is approved in dozens of indications around the
world and had sales of nearly $15.5 billion for the first nine
months of 2022.
Write to Colin Kellaher at colin.kellaher@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
January 25, 2023 07:29 ET (12:29 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2023 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Merck (NYSE:MRK)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2024 to Apr 2024
Merck (NYSE:MRK)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2023 to Apr 2024
