Phase 3 Keytruda, Chemotherapy Mesothelioma Trial Shows Promising Results

Pharmaceutical company Merck says use of its immunotherapy drug Keytruda in conjunction with chemotherapy increases the survival rate for people with advanced pleural mesothelioma, according to the latest results of a phase 3 clinical trial. The results were announced in June at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. They showed Merck’s use of the anti-PD-1 treatment combined with chemotherapy reduced the patient’s risk of death by 21%.  Clinical trial results of the multimodal treatment using immunotherapy and chemo also showed a median overall survival of 17.3 months in comparison to 16.1 months when only treating patients with chemotherapy. “These results support the potential of Keytruda plus chemotherapy as a new first-line option for patients with advanced pleural mesothelioma who currently have limited treatment options,” said Dr. Gregory Lubiniecki, vice president of Global Clinical Development for Merck Research Laboratories. “These data demonstrate our commitment to improving outcomes for patients with different types of thoracic cancer through our expansive clinical development program and research evaluating Keytruda in new, difficult-to-treat tumors,” Lubiniecki added.  Combined Therapy Improves Progression-Free Survival The Canadian Cancer Trials Group, in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute, Merck and Intergroupe Francophone de Cancerologie Thoracique, sponsored the clinical trial. P...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Clinical Trials/Research/Emerging Treatments Mesothelioma Source Type: news