Merck Announces Phase 3 KEYNOTE-859 Trial Met Primary Endpoint of Overall Survival in Patients With HER2-Negative Gastric or Gastroesophageal Junction (GEJ) Adenocarcinoma

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Nov 22, 2022

Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, today announced positive topline results from the pivotal Phase 3 KEYNOTE-859 trial investigating KEYTRUDA, Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy, in combination with chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative locally advanced unresectable or metastatic gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma. KEYTRUDA in combination with chemotherapy showed a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in the trial’s primary endpoint of overall survival (OS) versus chemotherapy alone in the all-randomized patient population at a pre-specified interim analysis conducted by an independent Data Monitoring Committee. Statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in progression-free survival (PFS) and overall response rate (ORR) were also observed in the all-randomized patient population.