Merck & Co restores faith in first-line future for Keytruda lung cancer combo

Shares in New Jersey, USA-based Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK) gained 6% yesterday after the company announced its Phase III KEYNOTE-189 trial of Keytruda (pembrolizumab) met its co-primary endpoints, boosting confidence in its ability to lead in the market for first-line lung cancer therapies.

The trial is designed to compare a combination of the checkpoint inhibitor with Alimta (pemetrexed) and cisplatin or carboplatin, with Alimta and chemo alone, for the first-line treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Roger Perlmutter, president of Merck’s research division said the study “showed significant improvement in overall survival and progression-free survival for patients receiving Keytruda.”