- Wednesday, October 16, 2024
Merck recently announced that its cancer drug Welireg has achieved a significant milestone in a late-stage study involving patients with the most common form of kidney cancer. The Phase 3 study demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival for adults with advanced renal cell carcinoma who had previously received PD-1/L1 checkpoint inhibitor and vascular endothelial growth factor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapies.
In addition to meeting the primary endpoint, the trial also showed a statistically significant improvement in the objective response rate, indicating positive outcomes. While the improvement in overall survival did not reach statistical significance, there was a promising trend in that direction. Merck plans to further analyze overall survival in subsequent assessments. Importantly, the safety profile of Welireg remained consistent with previous studies.
Renal cell carcinoma represents approximately 90% of kidney cancer diagnoses, and around 15% of U.S. kidney cancer patients receive an advanced stage diagnosis. Welireg, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2021, is targeted for certain adults with von Hippel-Lindau disease who require treatment for associated renal cell carcinoma, central-nervous-system hemangioblastomas, or pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
Post a comment