Merck follows Bristol
with EU green light for immune cancer drug
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[May 22, 2015]
(Reuters) - European regulators have
recommended approval of Merck & Co Inc's immune system-boosting cancer
drug Keytruda, following a similar green light last month for
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co's rival product Opdivo.
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Merck's drug, also known as pembrolizumab, was endorsed on Friday by
the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the treatment of melanoma.
Both Keytruda and Opdivo are already approved in the United States.
The EMA said Keytruda was recommended for use on its own for the
treatment of advanced melanoma, the most aggressive type of skin
cancer, in both first-line and previously treated patients. (http://bit.ly/1FrWjYm)
Keytruda and Opdivo belong to a highly promising new class of
medicines called PD-1 inhibitors that block a mechanism tumors use
to hide from the immune system. It is expected to be one of the most
commercially successful new drugs to reach major markets this year.
Although Keytruda is still waiting for final regulatory approval in
Europe, some patients in Britain are receiving it through a new
early-access scheme, under which highly promising new drugs are made
available free of charge ahead of formal licensing.
Friday's positive European opinion on Keytruda is an intermediary
step on the drug's path to market, since it now has to be sent to
the European Commission for formal adoption. After that, decisions
on price and reimbursement will taken by individual governments
around Europe.
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(Reporting by Ben Hirschler in London and Esha Vaish in Bengaluru;
Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)
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