Merck to present new data on Keytruda at ASCO 2016

Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced that new and updated data investigating Keytruda (pembrolizumab), the company’s anti-PD-1 therapy, in more than 15 types of cancer will be presented at the 52nd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago, June 3 – 7, 2016.

At this year’s meeting, researchers will present data from studies of Keytruda as a single agent, and in combination with other therapies, in melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), as well as bladder, colorectal, esophageal, gastric, head and neck, renal cancers, lymphoma and multiple myeloma. First-time presentation of findings for Keytruda will be presented in new tumor types including cervical, endometrial, leiomyosarcoma, pancreatic, salivary, and thyroid. Several abstracts were chosen to be presented as oral presentations – one of which includes three-year survival data for patients with advanced melanoma (abstract #9503); this abstract will be featured in the official ASCO press program on Wednesday, May 18 at 12:00 p.m. EDT.

“This year’s ASCO annual meeting represents a significant milestone for the Keytruda clinical development program, which now includes more than 270 ongoing or planned studies across more than 30 tumor types, both as a single agent and in combination with other therapies,” said Dr. Roy Baynes, senior vice president and head of global clinical development, Merck Research Laboratories. “We look forward to sharing new data with the cancer community from our industry-leading immuno-oncology program as we seek to advance our shared goal of transforming outcomes for patients across a broad range of tumors.”