Keytruda exceeds expectations to keep Merck & Co sales steady

Merck & Co’s (NYSE:MRK) 2016 financial results offer further evidence of why the company is the envy of the industry due to its ownership of the immuno-oncology drug Keytruda (pembrolizumab).

The US pharma giant reported a narrow rise in its sales figures for the year, and this was thanks largely to a 148% rise in revenue from the anti-PD-1 therapy, which is being approved in new cancer indications across the world with every passing month.

"The momentum behind our pipeline and key product launches, including the continued growth and expansion of Keytruda into new indications and markets, further reinforces our company's strategic direction"