Merck: Keytruda/Chemotherapy Combo Meets Primary Endpoint in Phase 3 Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Study

By Colin Kellaher

Merck & Co. (MRK) on Monday said a phase 3 study of its the cancer drug Keytruda in combination with chemotherapy in patients with triple-negative breast cancer met one of two primary endpoints.

The Kenilworth, N.J., drug maker said the combination showed a statistically significant improvement in pathological complete response rates compared with chemotherapy alone following the neoadjuvant, or presurgical, part of the neoadjuvant/adjuvant study regimen.

A pathological complete response is defined as a lack of all signs of cancer in tissue samples analyzed following completion of neoadjuvant therapy and definitive surgery.

Merck said the study will continue without changes to evaluate event-free survival, the other primary endpoint.

Triple-negative breast cancer makes up about 15% to 20% of all breast cancers and is usually more aggressive than the other types, according to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Write to Colin Kellaher at colin.kellaher@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 29, 2019 07:41 ET (11:41 GMT)

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