MRK - Merck in pact to study Keytruda in combination with Athenex's lead asset

Merck (MRK) has struck a collaboration and supply agreement with the cancer-focused biotech, Athenex (NASDAQ:ATNX) to jointly study its anti-PD-1 therapy Keytruda (pembrolizumab) with Athenex’s lead candidate Oraxol in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Currently, Oraxol is undergoing a Phase 1 trial called KX-ORAX-011 in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with advanced solid tumors. After the dose-escalation phase, the expansion phase of the trial is currently underway targeting NSCLC patients who progressed on previous anti-PD1/ anti-PD-L1 therapy or in combination with chemotherapy. The agreement will support the expansion of the KX-ORAX-011 trial to study the drug combination in certain NSCLC patients, Athenex (ATNX) said. Merck (MRK) and Athenex (ATNX) will form a joint development committee to review its results. With its 1Q 2022 financials last week, Athenex (ATNX) revised its full year guidance for the product sales growth.

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Merck in pact to study Keytruda in combination with Athenex’s lead asset