STAT+: Merck ADC drug cut risk of death by one-third in advanced endometrial cancer — SkimNews
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- Merck and Kelun-Biotech developed sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT), a targeted chemotherapy that cut the risk of death by one-third in patients with advanced endometrial cancer, based on randomized Phase 3 study results presented in Madrid.
- Sac-TMT has already demonstrated survival benefits across multiple cancer types in studies conducted by Kelun in China, where the drug is approved.
- Merck is running 18 global Phase 3 trials of sac-TMT, including 10 in women’s cancers, to support regulatory approvals in the U.S., Europe, and other regions outside China.
- Sac-TMT plays a critical role in Merck's strategy to offset future revenue losses when its blockbuster immunotherapy Keytruda loses patent protection in 2028.
Why it matters: Merck gains a pivotal late-stage asset to counterbalance the looming patent cliff for Keytruda, which generated over $25 billion in annual sales; a one-third reduction in mortality positions sac-TMT as a potential standard of care if global approvals follow, directly impacting women’s cancer treatment access and Merck’s oncology pipeline valuation.
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