Merck Says FDA Grants Priority Review For KEYTRUDA+Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy For Cervical Cancer

(RTTNews) - Merck & Co Inc. (MRK), known as MSD outside of the U.S. and Canada, announced Wednesday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for priority review a new supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) seeking approval for KEYTRUDA, Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy, in combination with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) plus concurrent chemotherapy, followed by brachytherapy (concurrent chemoradiotherapy) as treatment with definitive intent for newly diagnosed patients with high-risk locally advanced cervical cancer.

The sBLA is based on data from the KEYNOTE-A18 trial, also known as ENGOT-cx11/GOG-3047, in which KEYTRUDA plus concurrent chemoradiotherapy demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) compared to concurrent chemoradiotherapy alone.

If approved, this would be Merck's third approved indication in cervical cancer and first in an earlier stage of the disease. The FDA has set a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA), or target action, date of January 20, 2024.