1. Scrip
  2. >>Therapy Areas
  3. >>Anticancer
  4. >>Immuno-oncology

Keytruda Is King, But Merck Faces Questions About Business Development

 
• By Mary Jo Laffler

Keytruda continues to break records on the strength of its efficacy in lung cancer, and shows no signs of slowing down. But analysts were intrigued by repeated mentions of business development during Merck’s third quarter earnings call.

chess

Merck & Co. Inc.’s Keytruda may have taken the lead in global immuno-oncology sales, but the company isn’t resting on its laurels. As it treads a careful line of lauding pembrolizumab’s growth potential and avoiding becoming a one-product company, Merck used its third quarter earnings call Oct. 25 to push the idea of diversity. 

The company reported $9.7bn in pharmaceutical sales for the third quarter, up 5% year-over-year, driven primarily by oncology and hospital...

Read the full article – start your free trial today!

Join thousands of industry professionals who rely on Scrip 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 Immuno-oncology

BMS’s Breyanzi Stands To Further Expand Broad Lymphoma Coverage

 
• By Alaric DeArment

The drugmaker presented data at a lymphoma meeting showing strong efficacy for the CAR-T in marginal zone lymphoma, the second most common indolent lymphoma.

Henlius CEO Details PD-L1 ADC’s Path To 1L Mono/Combo Therapy

 
• By Dexter Jie Yan

Henlius is investigating the optimum dose for its PD-L1-targeting antibody-drug conjugate HLX43 to support potential first-line use, its CEO explains to Scrip.

Is Zydus’s Agenus Deal Opportunistic Or Strategic?

 
• By Vibha Ravi

Will Zydus’s acquisition and licensing deal with Agenus turn out to be a strategic move towards building an oncology portfolio or an opportunistic one driven by a venture capital mindset?

ASCO: Kite’s Glioblastoma CAR-T Highlights Solid Tumor Progress

 
• By Alaric DeArment

The company presented Phase I data for CART-EGFR-IL13Rα2, showing patient responses in the notoriously hard-to-treat and deadly brain cancer.

More from Anticancer

In Brief: Starton Moves Low-Dose Lenalidomide To Phase IIa For Multiple Myeloma

 
• By Sushmita Panda

Study to add to safety and tolerability data for infused formulation and may help identify optimal dose for future pivotal trial.

BioNTech To Buy mRNA Rivals CureVac

 
• By Andrew McConaghie

The $1.25bn buyout is a simple deal for BioNTech, bringing new mRNA R&D and manufacturing capacity while also ending a bothersome patent dispute.

Is Zydus’s Agenus Deal Opportunistic Or Strategic?

 
• By Vibha Ravi

Will Zydus’s acquisition and licensing deal with Agenus turn out to be a strategic move towards building an oncology portfolio or an opportunistic one driven by a venture capital mindset?