Merck: KEYTRUDA New Data To Be Presented At ASCO

(RTTNews) - Merck (NYSE: MRK) announced new data evaluating KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) in combination with Chemotherapy for first-line treatment of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer or NSCLC demonstrate overall response rates ranging from 48 to 71 Percent.

The company specified that the findings from an initial proof-of-concept study of KEYTRUDA, the company's anti-PD-1 therapy, combined with standard treatments, one with bevacizumab and others without, in NSCLC including chemotherapy in previously untreated patients with NSCLC.

These data, from the phase 1/2 KEYNOTE-021 trial, will be presented today at the 52nd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology or ASCO.

Based on initial results presented at 2016 ASCO Annual Meeting, Merck has initiated two phase 3 Studies.

Separately, Merck also announced New Analysis from KEYNOTE-010, comparing KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) to Chemotherapy, showed improved survival benefit in patients with increased levels of PD-L1 expression. KEYNOTE-001 findings showed responses are durable and include two year overall survival data for KEYTRUDA.

The new data, including updated response rates, progression-free survival and overall survival with KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab), the company's anti-PD-1 therapy, as a monotherapy in patients with advanced NSCLC whose tumors express PD-L1 from two studies: KEYNOTE-010 and KEYNOTE-001.

The findings are being presented at the 52nd Annual Meeting of ASCO in Chicago (Abstracts #9015 and #9026).