Merck shares jump 7% on news of positive results from lung cancer trial
MARKETWATCH 1:32 PM ET 1/16/2018
Symbol Last Price Change
MRK 62.625up +3.965 (+6.76%)
RHHBF 247.5down -6.5 (-2.56%)
QUOTES AS OF 02:31:45 PM ET 01/16/2018
Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK) shares (MRK) jumped almost 7% Tuesday, after the company announced positive results in a late-stage lung cancer trial. The New Jersey-based drug company said the Phase 3 trial of Keytruda in combination with pemetrexed and cisplatin or carboplatin for patients with metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer met its dual primary endpoints of overall survival and progression-free survival. Results from the Keynote-189 trial will be presented at a coming medical meeting and submitted to the regulator, said Merck. Non-small cell lung cancer is the most common of two types of lung cancer, which kills more people than colon, breast and prostate cancers combined. The news weighed on shares of Roche Holding AG(RHHBF) , which is developing a rival drug. Merck shares have fallen about 6% in the last 12 months, while the S&P 500 has gained 22%.
-Ciara Linnane; 415-439-6400; AskNewswires@dowjones.com
