Merck Scraps Phase 3 Keytruda-Lynparza Lung Cancer Study

By Colin Kellaher

Merck & Co. is ending a late-stage study of the combination of Keytruda and Lynparza in certain lung cancer patients due to an expected failure of the trial.

The Rahway, N.J., drugmaker, which was evaluating Keytruda in combination with maintenance Lynparza in a Phase 3 study in patients with metastatic squamous non-small cell lung cancer, said it is stopping the trial for futility based on the recommendation of an independent data monitoring committee.

Merck said a third interim study analysis showed that Keytruda in combination with chemotherapy followed by Keytruda plus Lynparza didn't demonstrate an improvement in overall survival, one of the study's dual primary endpoints, compared to Keytruda in combination with chemotherapy followed by Keytruda plus placebo.

The study's other dual primary endpoint, which measured how long the patient lived without the disease worsening, wasn't statistically significant at the second interim analysis.

Merck is studying Keytruda, a cancer drug that harnesses a patient's immune system to fight tumors, in a raft of trials across a wide variety of cancers and treatment settings. The company jointly develops and commercializes Lynparza with AstraZeneca.

Write to Colin Kellaher at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

December 07, 2023 07:34 ET (12:34 GMT)

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