MRK - Seattle Genetics Astellas and Merck Hit a Bladder Cancer Bullseye
Astellas (OTC: ALPMY), Seattle Genetics (NASDAQ: SGEN), and Merck (NYSE: MRK) have good news for new bladder cancer patients who aren't eligible for standard chemotherapy. Followup data from an ongoing clinical trial suggests that a combination of Padcev and Keytruda could become a new first-line treatment for this underserved group.
Keytruda from Merck is a protein that makes it hard for tumor cells to shut down the immune system when it attacks them. Padcev, from collaboration partners Astellas and Seattle Genetics, is a protein that delivers a dose of chemotherapy directly to tumor cells that present a telltale sign of malignancy on their surface called nectin-4.
Image source: Getty Images.