1. Pink Sheet
  2. >>Archive

Merck Recasts Keytruda Regulatory Strategy In Head & Neck Cancer To Capitalize On KEYNOTE-048

 
• By Bridget Silverman

Withdrawal of sBLA for full approval of Keytruda in second-line SCCHN makes way for Merck to file for first-line use. 

Turn arrow Road sign
Merck says this is a good sign for Keytruda.

Withdrawal of an application under US FDA review is rarely a positive sign, but Merck & Co. Inc.’s Keytruda looks like an exception. The company is changing its regulatory strategy in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck to capitalize on positive Phase III survival data in the first-line setting.

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) was under review for full approval in second-line SCCHN, with the Dec. 28 user fee goal coming up in two months, when the company announced it was withdrawing...

Read the full article – start your free trial today!

Join thousands of industry professionals who rely on Pink Sheet for daily insights

  • Start your 7-day free trial
  • Explore trusted news, analysis, and insights
  • Access comprehensive global coverage
  • Enjoy instant access – no credit card required
Start Free Trial

Already a subscriber?

More from Archive

Ocaliva: Still No Clarity On Why EU Court Opposed Revocation Of Approval

 
• By Neena Brizmohun

Advanz Pharma would have had to show that the European Commission’s decision to revoke Ocaliva’s conditional marketing approval risked causing serious and irreparable harm, according to lawyers from Van Bael & Bellis.

Final Chance To Have Your Say: Take Our Reader Survey This Week

 
• By Nielsen Hobbs

This is your final call to participate in the survey to better understand our subscribers’ content and delivery needs. The deadline is 20 September.

Shape Our Content: Take The Reader Survey

 
• By Nielsen Hobbs

We are conducting a survey to better understand our subscribers’ content and delivery needs. If there are any changes you’d like to see in coverage topics, article format, or the method in which you access the Pink Sheet – or if you love it how it is – now is the time to have your voice heard.

Brazil Pilots Digital Drug Pack Inserts

 
• By Francesca Bruce

A new pilot aims to take Brazil closer to ‘digital transformation.’

More from Pink Sheet

Non-User Fee Dollars Increased In US FDA’s Updated FY 2026 Budget Request

 
• By Derrick Gingery

The budget authority total, which is significantly higher than the amount floated in an April OMB draft document, suggests there may have been successful lobbying to increase FDA funding.

US ‘Most Favored Nation’ Pricing Could be Game Changer for Drug Access In Germany

 
• By Francesca Bruce

In this first in a series of articles looking at the potential impact of the MFN drug pricing policy on European pharmaceutical markets, EUCOPE’s Alexander Natz tells the Pink Sheet why the US policy underscores the importance of confidential net pricing.

ICH Targets RWE, Rare Diseases, Biosimilars, ATMPs In New Guideline Push

 
• By Vibha Sharma

The International Council for Harmonisation has identified four new topics that can benefit from global regulatory alignment, with timelines for initiating work to be determined later.