Merck Sharp and Dohme’s Keytruda shows efficacy against multiple cancers

Merck Sharp and Dohme has announced new clinical trial data demonstrating the safety and efficacy of its drug Keytruda against multiple forms of cancer.

The company shared findings from several new studies at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago, highlighting the drug's strong performance in the treatment of several disease types.

A proof of concept study showed Keytruda, when used in combination with chemotherapy for first-line treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), demonstrated response rates ranging from 48 to 71 percent.

Encouraging survival rates were also demonstrated in the KEYNOTE-010 and KEYNOTE-001 advanced NSCLC studies, while the MASTERKEY-265, KEYNOTE-022, and KEYNOTE-029 studies showed the effectiveness of the drug in combination with talimogene laherparepvec, dabrafenib plus trametinib, or low-dose ipilimumab in advanced melanoma.

Meanwhile, KEYNOTE-012 data revealed how Keytruda can benefit patients with previously-treated recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer, while KEYNOTE-087 showed how it can be used as a monotherapy in patients with relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma.

The range of different applications for Keytruda have made it one of the most important new therapies in the company's portfolio.