New Keytruda Approval Rekindles An Old Debate

04 Jan 2016

• By Emily Hayes

Approval for first-line BRAF+ patients puts Merck's Keytruda ahead of Bristol's Opdivo in melanoma, and in line to take share from BRAF/MEK combos, which are currently dominant in this patient population. Interactive timeline gives visual overview of immunotherapy approvals in key markets.

Approval for all metastatic melanoma patients – including those with BRAF mutations – puts Merck & Co. Inc.’s Keytruda in a position to dominate the checkpoint inhibitors’ flagship indication, at least for now.

The label for Keytruda (pembrolizumab) was expanded on Dec. 18 to include first-line treatment of unresectable or metastatic melanoma. Merck...