Merck Reports Positive Decade-Long Keytruda Results in Advanced Melanoma

Merck & Co – known as MSD outside the US and Canada – has reported promising ten-year data from a late-stage investigation of its anti-PD-1 therapy, Keytruda (pembrolizumab), in treating melanoma. This open-label KEYNOTE-006 trial has been comparing Keytruda with Bristol Myers Squibb’s Yervoy (ipilimumab) in patients suffering from advanced melanoma.

The incidence of melanoma has been rising consistently over the past few decades, with more than 100,640 people expected to receive a diagnosis in the US this year alone. Keytruda functions by enhancing the body’s immune system's ability to detect and combat tumor cells. It's already approved for treating specific melanoma cases, including patients with unresectable or metastatic disease, and those with stages 2B, 2C, or 3 disease after complete resection.

Presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress and published in the Annals of Oncology, the trial results demonstrated “sustained improved survival outcomes” for patients treated with Keytruda alone compared to those treated with Yervoy. Specifically, the ten-year overall survival (OS) rate for Keytruda was 34%, in contrast to 23.6% for Yervoy. Additionally, Keytruda was shown to reduce the risk of death by 29% and more than doubled median OS compared to Yervoy, with figures standing at 32.7 months versus 15.9 months.

Marjorie Green, senior vice president and head of oncology, global clinical development at Merck Research Laboratories, commented: “Ten years ago, Keytruda became the first anti-PD-1/L1 therapy approved in the US, paving the way for transformative breakthroughs in the treatment of advanced melanoma and other types of cancer. Keytruda has revolutionized the treatment of certain cancers, extending its benefits to a wider array of tumor types and patients. We anticipate more innovations for patients in the coming decade and beyond.”

In addition to melanoma, Keytruda is approved to treat a broad spectrum of cancers, including particular forms of cervical cancer, bladder cancer, biliary tract cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, and renal cell carcinoma. Currently, more than 1,600 trials are underway to study Keytruda, including a notable trial evaluating it in combination with Merck and Moderna’s investigational skin cancer vaccine.