Merck Serono Disappointed With Phase II Matuzumab Data (Japan)
This article was originally published in PharmAsia News
Executive Summary
Merck Serono, the biopharmaceutical unit of Germany's Merck KGaA, says that data from a mid-stage trial of its investigational cancer compound matuzumab is disappointing. The drug, a humanized monoclonal antibody, is being co-developed with Japan's Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Merck Serono reports that a Phase II trial investigating matuzumab in combination with irinotecan in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who had already failed on multiple prior treatments "has not met its predefined endpoint of activity." Merck Serono adds that Takeda Pharmaceutical shares its view that the study results do not meet expectations. However, they are not giving up on the compound and will continue to study matuzumab in other tumors including non-small cell lung cancer. (Click here for more