Keytruda and Lenvima Combo Improves Survival, Says Phase 3 Study

Merck’s blockbuster oncology drug Keytruda (pembrolizumab) significantly improved survival for women suffering from endometrial cancer when combined with Eisai’s Lenvima (lenvatinib) in a late-stage clinical trial, the companies announced Friday.

In the phase 3 study, the combination therapy reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 44 percent and the risk of death by 38 percent for patients who received a prior platinum-based chemotherapy.

Keytruda plus Lenvima significantly improved overall survival compared with chemotherapy in patients with advanced, metastatic or recurrent endometrial carcinoma, said Vicky Makker, the trial’s principal investigator. The median overall survival was 18.3 months for the combination therapy vs. 11.4 months for those who received the chemotherapy alone.

The combination treatment received the FDA’s approval in September 2019 for patients with advanced endometrial cancer.