New long-term data from KEYNOTE-021 (Cohort G) reinforce use of Keytruda in certain patients with advanced nonsquamous NSCLC.- Merck Inc.

Merck Inc., announced positive results from two studies from the company’s leading lung cancer clinical development program evaluating Keytruda, Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy: Keytruda in combination with chemotherapy (KEYNOTE-021 [Cohort G]) and Keytruda in combination with quavonlimab (MK-1308), Merck’s novel investigational anti-CTLA-4 antibody. In KEYNOTE-021 (Cohort G), first-line treatment with Keytruda in combination with chemotherapy (n=60) demonstrated a significant improvement in objective response rates (58% vs. 33%), progression-free survival (HR=0.54 [95% CI, 0.35-0.83]) and a sustained, long-term survival benefit (HR=0.71 [95% CI, 0.45-1.12]) versus chemotherapy alone (n=63) in patients with advanced nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) regardless of PD?L1 expression (Featured Poster #OFP01.02). Patients in Cohort G had no EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations. These findings represent the longest follow-up data for an anti-PD-1/PD?L1 therapy in combination with chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of NSCLC. Additionally, updated follow-up data from a Phase 1/II study of quavonlimab in combination with Keytruda showed encouraging anti-tumor activity and an acceptable safety profile as first-line treatment in patients with advanced NSCLC (Poster #TS01.02).