Biotechnology The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Keytruda (pembrolizumab), Merck & Co’s blockbuster anti-PD-1 therapy, as monotherapy for the treatment of patients with recurrent locally advanced or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus whose tumors express PD-L1 (Combined Positive Score [CPS] ≥10) as determined by an FDA-approved test, with disease progression after one or more prior lines of systemic therapy. 1 August 2019