Merck’s Keytruda Works With Lenvima In Renal Cancer, But Not With Yervoy In Lung Cancer

10 Nov 2020

Merck’s PD-1 inhibitor combined with Lenvima offered benefit in RCC, but use with Bristol’s Yervoy in metastatic NSCLC showed no benefit compared to Keytruda monotherapy.

White and black mask on the stairs — Back-to-back Keytruda combo data releases gave Merck & Co. good news and bad

Although Merck & Co., Inc.’s Keytruda is being investigated in a multitude of combination trials – the company cites more than 200 studies in lung cancer alone – it’s still somewhat surprising when the market-leading anti-PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor produces a negative dataset. In a 24-hour period, the New Jersey pharma got both positive combo data in first-line renal cell carcinoma as well as a failed pairing in PD-L1-positive lung cancer.

After the markets closed on 9 November, Merck & Co. revealed that the KEYNOTE-598 study testing Keytruda (pembrolizumab) with