Merck and China’s Kelun-Biotech reported that their targeted chemotherapy drug, sacituzumab tirumotecan, reduced the risk of death by one-third in patients with advanced endometrial cancer. The findings come from a randomized Phase 3 study presented in Madrid on Monday. Endometrial cancer is a common type of gynecological cancer.
The medication, also known as sac-TMT, has previously demonstrated survival benefits for patients with various cancer types in studies conducted by Kelun in China, where the drug is already approved. Merck is currently running 18 global Phase 3 studies for sac-TMT to support potential approvals in the United States, Europe, and other regions outside of China. Ten of these ongoing studies focus specifically on women’s cancers.
This development is part of Merck’s strategy to replace revenue expected to be lost when Keytruda, the company’s blockbuster immunotherapy, loses patent protection in 2028.