Merck's Keytruda Combo Therapy Less Effective Than Chemo In Lung Cancer Patients, Data Shows

Merck & Co Inc's MRK MK-7684A failed the open-label portion of a Phase 2 study KeyVibe-002 trial.
MK-7684A, a combination of Keytruda (pembrolizumab) and in-house anti-TIGIT compound vibostolimab, did not improve patients' progression-free survival compared to chemotherapy in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with progressive disease after treatment with immunotherapy and platinum-doublet chemotherapy.
Also Read: Merck's Keytuda+Chemo Combo Improves Overall Survival In Patients With Advanced Mesothelioma.
Results also showed that the coformulation was numerically less effective than docetaxel (chemo).
Merck is notifying study investigators that patients in this arm of the study should be switched to a standard of care unless their physician considers the patient is benefitting from MK-7684A alone.
The blinded arms of the study will continue to evaluate MK-7684A with docetaxel versus docetaxel alone further.
Last year, Merck discontinued the Phase 3 KEYNOTE-641 trial evaluating Keytruda (pembrolizumab) combined with enzalutamide and androgen deprivation therapy for metastatic castration-resistant metastatic prostate cancer, and the Phase 3 KEYNOTE-789 trial of Keytruda plus pemetrexed plus platinum-based chemotherapy in metastatic nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer.
Price Action: MRK shares are down 1.15% at $106.11 on the last check Friday.