Merck scraps another prostate cancer study as Keytruda therapy disappoints

Merck scraps another prostate cancer study as Keytruda therapy disappoints

Feb 28 (Reuters) – Merck & Co (MRK.N) said on Tuesday it will stop a late-stage trial evaluating a combination therapy with its cancer drug Keytruda after interim data showed it was unlikely to meet the study’s main goals.

The interim analysis showed the combination therapy did not extend survival or help extend the time a patient lives without the disease worsening compared to placebo, Merck said.

The decision comes nearly a month after it scrapped a late-stage study of Keytruda in some prostate cancer patients and puts the drugmaker further behind in its quest to develop a treatment for advanced forms of the most common cancer type in the United States.

“While we are disappointed in these study results, our research to investigate Keytruda in many difficult-to-treat types of cancer continues in earnest,” said Eliav Barr, Merck’s chief medical officer.

The combination treatment was also associated with a higher rate of serious adverse events compared to placebo group, the U.S. drugmaker said.

Merck was testing its blockbuster immunotherapy in combination with androgen deprivation therapy and Xtandi, made by Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) and Astellas Pharma Inc (4503.T), in patients an advanced form of treatment-resistant prostate cancer.

Additionally, Merck said another combination treatment with Keytruda did not meet the main goal in a separate late-stage study evaluating it for a type of lung cancer that can spread to other parts of the body.

Shares of the company were down marginally in premarket trading.

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Source: Reuters