Friday, October 21, 2016 12:23:03 PM
Health News | Fri Oct 21, 2016 (It looks to me like Merck can add Bladder Cancer to it's approval list along with melanoma, head and neck, and lung cancer)
Merck & Co Inc said its immunotherapy, Keytruda, helped previously treated patients with advanced bladder cancer live longer in a late-stage study, prompting an independent monitoring panel to recommend stopping the trial early.
The blockbuster drug's benefit in patients with urothelial cancer, the most common form of bladder cancer, surpassed that of chemotherapy, meeting the main study goal of overall survival.
Bladder cancer occurs when cells in the urinary bladder start to grow uncontrollably. Urothelial carcinoma starts in the cells lining the bladder. Patients enrolled in the trial suffered from an advanced form of the cancer despite undergoing chemotherapy.
Keytruda, which belongs to a new class of medicines called PD-1 inhibitors that help the immune system unmask hidden cancer cells, generated second-quarter sales of $314 million.
The drug, along with rival Bristol-Myers Squibb & Co's Opdivo, is already approved to treat a common form of lung cancer.
Analysts expect that the treatments will rake in tens of billions of dollars in sales in the years ahead, as they are tested for other types of cancer.
A newer entrant to the immunotherapy space is Roche Holding AG, whose drug Tecentriq won U.S. approval in May for bladder cancer, followed by lung cancer this week.
Recent ONCSQ News
- Form SC 13G/A - Statement of acquisition of beneficial ownership by individuals: [Amend] • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 02/13/2024 07:30:19 PM
Axis Technologies Group and Carbonis Forge Ahead with New Digital Carbon Credit Technology • AXTG • Apr 24, 2024 3:00 AM
North Bay Resources Announces Successful Equipment Test at Bishop Gold Mill, Inyo County, California • NBRI • Apr 23, 2024 9:41 AM
Epazz, Inc.: CryObo, Inc. solar Bitcoin operations will issue tokens • EPAZ • Apr 23, 2024 9:20 AM
Avant Technologies Launches Advanced AI Supercomputing Network and Expansive Data Solutions • AVAI • Apr 23, 2024 8:00 AM
BestGrowthStocks.com Issues Comprehensive Analysis of Triller Merger with AGBA Group Holding Limited • AGBA • Apr 22, 2024 1:00 PM
Cannabix Technologies to Present Marijuana Breathalyzer Technology at International Association for Chemical Testing (IACT) Conference in California • BLO • Apr 22, 2024 8:49 AM