Merck Sharp and Dohme to assess new Keytruda combination therapy

Merck Sharp and Dohme has announced a new collaboration to assess a Keytruda-based combination therapy for advanced melanoma.

The company has expanded its existing alliance with Incyte to include a phase III study evaluating a combination of Incyte's investigational selective IDO1 inhibitor epacadostat with Keytruda, Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy.

To be co-funded by both companies, the trial will begin in the first half of 2016 and will analyse the combination as a potential first-line treatment for patients with advanced or metastatic melanoma.

Incyte and Merck have also agreed not to initiate new pivotal studies of an IDO1 inhibitor in combination with a PD-1/PD-L1 antagonist for this indication with any third party for a period of two years.

Dr Roger Dansey, senior vice-president and therapeutic area head for oncology late-stage development at Merck Research Laboratories, said: "The initiation of this large phase III study with Incyte in the first-line advanced melanoma treatment setting is an important addition to our robust immunotherapy clinical development programme for Keytruda."

This comes after the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommended Keytruda for the treatment of advanced melanoma earlier this month.