Keytruda shows improved survival rates in first-line HNSCC trial

MSD’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) is currently approved to treat metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma with disease progression on or after platinum-containing chemotherapy. Now it has been shown in pivotal Phase III KEYNOTE-048 trials to increase survival when used as monotherapy for first-line treatment of recurrent or metastatic HNSCC in patients expressing PD-L1, compared to cetuximab in combination with platinum chemotherapy (cisplatin or carboplatin) plus 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU).
Dr Roy Baynes, SVP and head of global clinical development, chief medical officer, Merck Research Laboratories, said: “This interim analysis of KEYNOTE-048 trial has shown that Keytruda monotherapy has the potential to help patients with head and neck cancer whose tumours express high-levels of PD-L1.”