MRK Merck and Co Inc

   By Colin Kellaher 
 

Merck & Co. (MRK) on Wednesday said the Food and Drug Administration accepted and granted priority review for a new supplemental Biologics License Application seeking approval for Keytruda in advanced liver cancer.

The Kenilworth, N.J., drug maker said the sBLA seeks accelerated approval for Keytruda as a treatment for previously treated patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. The FDA has set a target action date of Nov. 9, Merck said.

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of liver cancer in adults, Merck said. An estimated 42,200 new cases of liver cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. this year.

Keytruda, a new type of cancer drug that harnesses patients' immune systems to fight tumors, is already marketed to treat lung, skin, bladder and other cancers.

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

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 11, 2018 07:32 ET (11:32 GMT)

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