Merck & Co. Inc. said a combination of Keytruda and chemotherapy prolonged the survival of patients with a type of advanced non-small cell lung cancer in a phase 3 study.
The Keynote-407 trial evaluated Keytruda plus chemotherapy as the initial treatment of patients with squamous non-small cell lung cancer that had spread to other parts of the body.
Based on an interim analysis of the results, patients on the combination survived longer without the disease worsening when compared to those on chemotherapy alone.
The company said it will share the interim data from Keynote-407 with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in addition to its supplemental biologics license application for Keytruda in lung cancer.
Merck will present the results at the 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting to be held in Chicago from June 1-5.
