RAHWAY, N.J. - Merck & Co., Inc., a leading pharmaceutical company, announced that its Phase 3 KEYLYNK-006 clinical trial did not meet the primary endpoints of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in the first-line treatment of metastatic nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The study evaluated the efficacy of KEYTRUDA, an anti-PD-1 therapy, in combination with LYNPARZA, a PARP inhibitor, following chemotherapy.
The trial participants who received KEYTRUDA in combination with chemotherapy, followed by KEYTRUDA plus maintenance LYNPARZA, did not show statistically significant improvements in OS or PFS compared to the control group treated with KEYTRUDA and chemotherapy followed by KEYTRUDA plus maintenance chemotherapy.
Despite the setback, the safety profiles of KEYTRUDA and LYNPARZA in the trial were consistent with previous studies. Merck has confirmed that a full evaluation of the data is underway and plans to share the findings with the scientific community.
Dr. Gregory Lubiniecki, vice president of global clinical development at Merck Research Laboratories, expressed the company's commitment to improving outcomes for patients with lung cancer, which remains the leading cause of cancer death globally. He acknowledged the challenges in treating metastatic nonsquamous NSCLC and thanked the patients and investigators involved in the study.
Lung cancer's high mortality rate and the need for early detection and screening underscore the importance of ongoing research. Merck is at the forefront of lung cancer research, with KEYTRUDA approved in more than 95 countries for advanced disease and being evaluated in nearly 200 clinical trials.
KEYTRUDA is designed to enhance the body's immune response to detect and fight tumor cells by blocking the interaction between PD-1 and its ligands. Merck's extensive immuno-oncology research program includes over 1,600 trials studying KEYTRUDA across various cancers.
This news is based on a press release statement.
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