ASH 2014: Merck reports overall response rate of 66% for its Keytruda in Hodgkin's lymphoma

Keytruda (pembrolizumab), manufactured by pharma giant Merck & Co (MYSE: MRK), has achieved an overall response rate of 66% in transplant-ineligible and failure patients with relapsed/refractory classical Hodgkin's lymphoma whose disease progressed on or after brentuximab vedotin treatment.

These early study findings on Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy were presented at the American Society for Hematology's 56th annual meeting.

Complete remission was achieved in 21% of patients in the study. At the time of analysis, 89% of responses were ongoing with the median duration of response not yet reached.