Merck Sharp and Dohme’s Keytruda shows lung cancer survival benefits

Merck Sharp and Dohme has announced the findings of a new clinical study showing the survival benefits its drug Keytruda can deliver for lung cancer patients.

Data from the phase III KEYNOTE-024 trial showed that the anti-PD-1 therapy, when used as a first-line monotherapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), showed a reduction in the risk of death by 37 percent for Keytruda compared to chemotherapy.

This data was based on more than two years of median follow-up, underlining the overall survival benefits the drug can deliver for patients whose tumours express high levels of PD-L1.

It was also shown that Keytruda increased overall survival by more than one year, which was more than double the survival rate for chemotherapy. Additionally, its safety performance was consistent with that seen in previous trials among patients with metastatic NSCLC.

Dr Roger Dansey, senior vice-president and therapeutic area head for oncology late-stage development at Merck Research Laboratories, said: "With these findings from KEYNOTE-024, we continue to demonstrate the potential for Keytruda to have a positive impact on survival outcomes in NSCLC."

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