Keytruda gaining edge over competitors in kidney cancer, says analyst

Merck & Co’s (NYSE: MRK) abstract presentation regarding KEYNOTE-426 trial at 2019 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium (ASCO GU) has confirmed that its Keytruda (pembrolizumab), an anti-PD-1 therapy, in combination with fellow US pharma giant Pfizer’s (NYSE: PFE) Inlyta (axitinib), a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, can significantly improve clinical outcomes for renal cancer patients.

Findings from the first interim analysis showed Keytruda in combination with axitinib reduced the risk of death by 47% “significantly improving overall survival (OS) compared to sunitinib (HR=0.53 [95% CI, 0.38-0.74]; p<0.0001).

Also last week, the US Food and Drug Administration accepted under Priority Review status Merck's supplemental marketing application seeking approval for Keytruda plus Inlyta for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma in a first-line setting.