Prognosis
Lung Cancer Drug From Merck Solidifies Lead in Crowded Field
- Research shows Merck drug was effective as a first treatment
- Study results edge out rivals from Bristol, Roche, AstraZeneca
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In the race to dominate a crowded field of new cancer drugs, Merck & Co. is edging out rivals with data showing that its treatment Keytruda gave a group of patients with advanced lung cancer a better chance at living longer than chemotherapy did.
Keytruda helps turn the immune system on tumors, and in a trial of the drug presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago, patients given Keytruda as a first treatment lived four to eight months longer than those on chemotherapy, the current standard of care.