Merck & Co. Inc.'s anti-PD-1 Keytruda has strong potential in combination with paclitaxel chemotherapy in very early treatment of HER2-negative breast cancer, according to new data, but risks are also emerging in this setting and could have implications for other drugs in the class.
Merck's Keytruda Offers Hope And Risk In Early Breast Cancer
I-SPY2 study shows promising efficacy for PD-1 inhibitor Keytruda in combination with chemo in high-risk breast cancer – including a tripling of response rate in triple-negative breast cancer – but also raises red flag on immune-mediated adverse events in early-stage patients.