Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK) announced data from the Phase 3 KEYNOTE-B96 trial (ENGOT-ov65) of Keytruda (pembrolizumab) in combination with chemotherapy (paclitaxel) with or without Roche Holdings AG’s (OTC:RHHBY) Avastin (bevacizumab).
The trial met its secondary endpoint of overall survival for patients with platinum-resistant recurrent ovarian cancer in all comers.
Overall survival refers to the length of time from the diagnosis of a disease or the initiation of treatment until a patient’s death from any cause.
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In May, the company said the trial met its primary endpoint of progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with platinum-resistant recurrent ovarian cancer whose tumors express PD-L1 and in all comers.
PFS is the length of time during and after treatment that a disease, like cancer, does not get worse.
Findings from these prior analyses will be presented at the upcoming European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2025.
The safety profile of Keytruda in this trial was consistent with that observed in previously reported studies, with no new safety signals identified.
“The results from the KEYNOTE-B96 trial mark the first time ever that an immune checkpoint inhibitor-based regimen has demonstrated the potential to help all patients with platinum-resistant recurrent ovarian cancer,” said Dr. Gursel Aktan, vice president of global clinical development at Merck Research Laboratories.
Keytruda is not approved for ovarian cancer.
Lynparza (olaparib), jointly developed and commercialized by AstraZeneca Plc (NASDAQ:AZN) and Merck, has three approved indications for ovarian cancer in the U.S.
Price Action: MRK stock is up 0.15% at $84.24 at the last check on Thursday.
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