Europe follows USA in approving Bavencio in rare, aggressive skin cancer

Germany’s Merck KGaA has received European approval for its immunotherapy drug Bavencio (avelumab) in metastatic merkel cell carcinoma.

The therapy, which is co-developed with New York’s Pfizer, was approved in this indication in the USA earlier this year, as well as in bladder cancer.

The company says initial launches are planned in the UK and Germany. The national HTA body in the UK says a final reimbursement decision is expected in April 2018.

Approval is based on data from the Javelin Merkel 200 study including durable tumor response rate and duration of response.