Pembrolizumab, lenvatinib combination improves survival in RCC

Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) plus lenvatinib (Lenvima) demonstrated statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and objective response rate (ORR) compared with sunitinib for the first-line treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), according to investigational data from the pivotal Phase 3 KEYNOTE-581/CLEAR trial (Study 307).

“The results for Keytruda plus Lenvima versus sunitinib, which showed a statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival, overall survival, and objective response rate, build on the growing scientific evidence that supports the investigation of Keytruda -based combinations for the first-line treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma,” said Dr Gregory Lubiniecki, Associate Vice President, Oncology Clinical Research, Merck Research Laboratories in a press release. “Merck and Eisai are committed to working together to continue to explore the potential of the Keytruda plus Lenvima combination, particularly in areas of great unmet need such as renal cell carcinoma.”

Pembrolizumab plus Lenvatinib is currently being studied across 19 trials in several different tumor types including endometrial carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, urothelial cancer, biliary tract cancer, colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, glioblastoma, ovarian cancer, and triple-negative breast cancer.

Read the full press release here.