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Can’t Win Them All: Two Merck Oncology Trials Fail

Stalwarts Lynparza And Keytruda Miss Their Mark

 
• By Alaric DeArment

The company stopped a study of Lynparza in colorectal cancer for futility and announced a study of Keytruda/chemoradiation in head-and-neck cancer didn’t meet its primary endpoint.

Merck posted two back-to-back trial failures, but there are further opportunities ahead • Source: Shutterstock

Merck & Co., Inc. posted two Phase III trial failures – one of the PD-1 inhibitor Keytruda in unresected locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and another of the PARP inhibitor Lynparza (olaparib) in colorectal cancer (CRC) – back to back. However, while the news marks a setback for Merck’s oncology development program, Keytruda has a label for HNSCC and is in development for further settings of the disease that leave additional opportunities open, while Lynparza faces little in the way of serious competition in CRC.

Merck made the announcement for the Phase III LYNK-003 trial, testing the PARP inhibitor with or without Roche Holding...

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• By Alaric DeArment

The drugmaker presented data from its Phase I study of JNJ-79635322 at ASCO and EHA showing a 100% response rate in BCMA- and GPRC5D-naïve patients.

ASCO: Pushing The Frontiers Of ADCs

 
• By Mary Jo Laffler

Antibody-drug conjugates are a major part of the oncology pipeline, and data presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting highlight the emergence of new technologies.

Immuneering Could Partner Atebimetinib Or Go It Alone After Phase IIa Success

 
• By Alaric DeArment

CEO Ben Zeskind said all options are on the table after atebimetinib showed impressive results in pancreatic cancer.

Enliven Raises $230m To Fund Scemblix Leukemia Challenger

 
• By Andrew McConaghie

The company believes its drug could eventually displace Novartis’s Scemblix in first-line chronic myeloid leukemia treatment, but for now is preparing for a second-/third-line pivotal study.

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Scholar Rock Shows Muscle-Building PoC In Obesity

 
• By Jessica Merrill

The company said it intends to maintain a focus on rare neuromuscular disease with apitegromab but could consider partnering in obesity.

Spyre Takes Aim At Roche And J&J In Inflammatory Diseases

 
• By Andrew McConaghie

The US firm was already looking to compete in ulcerative colitis, but now expands its ambitions by moving into rheumatoid arthritis as well.

Draig Is All Fired Up To Transform Neuropsychiatric Field

 
• By Kevin Grogan

Wales-based group launches with $140m series A.