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Keytruda Adjuvant Kidney Cancer Data Cement The Future Of IO

“Practice Changing” KEYNOTE-564 Data Presented At ASCO Plenary

 
• By Alaric DeArment

The data illustrate the growing importance of adjuvant settings of solid tumors for PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, which could make up more than one-quarter of their sales in 2025.

Human kidney on scientific background. 3d illustration
Merck & Co. presents "practice changing" data on Keytruda in adjuvant renal cell carcinoma • Source: Shutterstock

The KEYNOTE-564 study supporting use of Merck & Co., Inc.’s Keytruda(pembrolizumab) in adjuvant renal cell carcinoma (RCC), and likely another first-to-market advantage for the PD-1 inhibitor, is an important advance as checkpoint inhibitor immuno-oncology shifts to earlier use in adjuvant settings in various cancers.

The Kenilworth, NJ-based drug maker presented positive data from the Phase III KEYNOTE-564 study comparing Keytruda with placebo in adjuvant RCC at the 6 June plenary session of the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting, following an earlier topline release noting that the trial showed a disease-free survival benefit. (Also see "Merck & Co.’s Keytruda Stakes Another Adjuvant Flag, In RCC" - Scrip, 8 April, 2021

More from ASCO

TIL The CARs Come Home: How Cell Therapy’s Solid Tumor Future Is Shaping Up

 
• By Alaric DeArment

Iovance’s Amtagvi won FDA accelerated approval in February, and Adaptimmune’s afami-cel may not be far behind, but cell therapies for solid tumors come with some extra challenges.

Anti-TROP2 ADCs Lung Cancer Futures Likely Lie In Earlier-Stage Disease

 
• By Alaric DeArment

The discussant at ASCO’s NSCLC session said the field would need to “manage expectations” as the drugs do not appear to beat chemotherapy in all-comers. 

ASCO 2024 Wrap-Up Podcast

 
• By Alaric DeArment

Scrip reporter Alaric DeArment is joined by the Datamonitor Healthcare oncology analysts to review key highlights from the recent American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting.   

China Biotech Podcast: BIOSECURE Act Updates ASCO Highlights

 
• By Brian Yang and Dexter Jie Yan

US-based Citeline writer Sarah Karlin-Smith joins Brian Yang and Dexter Yan in China to discuss the US BIOSECURE Act and the recent BIO meeting in San Diego, while Dexter Yan discusses China-related ASCO highlights, in this mixed Chinese- and English-language episode.

More from Conferences

Balance And Focus Suggested For Globalizing Chinese Firms Amid Ongoing Uncertainties

 
• By Xu Hu

Finding a balance between out-licensing, refocusing on internal strengths and addressing unmet needs were identified at a recent Shanghai conference as some of the key strategies for Chinese biopharma firms looking to truly globalize.

Cash-Strapped Chinese Biotechs A Growing Draw For Western Pharma Partnering

 
• By Alaric DeArment

Nauman Shah, head of business development for J&J Innovation, sat down at the BIO CEO & Investor Conference to talk about his trip to China and the state of the biotech scene there.

Lexicon Has A Lot Riding On LX9211 Phase IIb Readout In Pain

 
• By Jessica Merrill

CEO Mike Exton talked to Scrip about moving the company forward after a disappointingly disruptive 2024.