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Merck (MRK) Offers Update on Keytruda-Halaven Combination
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Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK - Free Report) and partner Eisai Co., Ltd. announced new interim data from a phase Ib/II study on the Keytruda-Halaven combination for the treatment of metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).
A look at Merck’ year-to-date share price movement shows that the stock has outperformed the Zacks classified Large Cap Pharma industry. The company’s shares have increased 16.8% so far this year, outperforming the 7.1% decline of the industry, backed by consistently strong bottom-line results as well as encouraging news and regulatory updates.
Shares of Eisai Co. have also outperformed the Zacks classified Medical-Drugs industry so far this year. The company lost 11.5% during the period, compared to a drop of 26.2% for the industry.
Coming back to the latest news, the single-arm, multi-center study is evaluating the combination of Merck’s Keytruda (200 mg) with Eisai’s Halaven Injection (1.4 mg/m2) in 21-day cycles in patients (n=95) with metastatic TNBC, who were previously treated with up to two lines of chemotherapy.
Interim data demonstrated an overall response rate (ORR) of 33.3% with one complete response and 12 partial responses. Findings were presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS).
Around 246,660 women are estimated to be diagnosed with breast cancer in the U.S. in 2016, with nearly 40,450 dying from the disease. Approximately 12% of breast cancer patients are diagnosed with TNBC. Given the limited number of treatment options available, there is thus significant unmet need in this indication.
Keytruda, an anti-PD-1 therapy, is currently approved in the U.S. for the treatment of unresectable or metastatic melanoma, and metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in patients whose tumors express PD-L1 as determined by an FDA-approved test with disease progression on or after platinum-containing chemotherapy. In Oct 2016, Keytruda received FDA approval for the first-line treatment of NSCLC in patients whose tumors have high PD-L1 expression as determined by an FDA-approved test, with no EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations.
Keytruda is also indicated for the treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), with disease progression on or after platinum-containing chemotherapy.
Merck generated Keytruda sales of $919 million in the first nine moths of 2016, up a whopping 161.1% year over year. Meanwhile, the company is evaluating Keytruda for more than 30 types of cancer alone as well as in combination with other therapies.
On the other hand, Halaven is approved in the U.S. for the treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer who have previously received at least two chemotherapeutic regimens for the metastatic disease.
The last few months saw Merck receiving a string of positive news regarding Keytruda, raising sales expectations for the drug. Further, a label expansion of the key drug should significantly boost sales of Merck.
However, the highly lucrative immuno-oncology market is being targeted by several other companies too. One of the other major players in this market is Roche Holding AG (RHHBY - Free Report) .
Heska’s earnings estimates increased from $1.13 to $1.35 for 2016 and from $1.38 to $1.53 for 2017 over the last 60 days. The company posted a positive earnings surprise in all of the four trailing quarters with an average beat of 301.64%. Its share price has increased 77.9% year to date.
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Merck (MRK) Offers Update on Keytruda-Halaven Combination
Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK - Free Report) and partner Eisai Co., Ltd. announced new interim data from a phase Ib/II study on the Keytruda-Halaven combination for the treatment of metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).
A look at Merck’ year-to-date share price movement shows that the stock has outperformed the Zacks classified Large Cap Pharma industry. The company’s shares have increased 16.8% so far this year, outperforming the 7.1% decline of the industry, backed by consistently strong bottom-line results as well as encouraging news and regulatory updates.
Shares of Eisai Co. have also outperformed the Zacks classified Medical-Drugs industry so far this year. The company lost 11.5% during the period, compared to a drop of 26.2% for the industry.
Coming back to the latest news, the single-arm, multi-center study is evaluating the combination of Merck’s Keytruda (200 mg) with Eisai’s Halaven Injection (1.4 mg/m2) in 21-day cycles in patients (n=95) with metastatic TNBC, who were previously treated with up to two lines of chemotherapy.
Interim data demonstrated an overall response rate (ORR) of 33.3% with one complete response and 12 partial responses. Findings were presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS).
Around 246,660 women are estimated to be diagnosed with breast cancer in the U.S. in 2016, with nearly 40,450 dying from the disease. Approximately 12% of breast cancer patients are diagnosed with TNBC. Given the limited number of treatment options available, there is thus significant unmet need in this indication.
Keytruda, an anti-PD-1 therapy, is currently approved in the U.S. for the treatment of unresectable or metastatic melanoma, and metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in patients whose tumors express PD-L1 as determined by an FDA-approved test with disease progression on or after platinum-containing chemotherapy. In Oct 2016, Keytruda received FDA approval for the first-line treatment of NSCLC in patients whose tumors have high PD-L1 expression as determined by an FDA-approved test, with no EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations.
Keytruda is also indicated for the treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), with disease progression on or after platinum-containing chemotherapy.
Merck generated Keytruda sales of $919 million in the first nine moths of 2016, up a whopping 161.1% year over year. Meanwhile, the company is evaluating Keytruda for more than 30 types of cancer alone as well as in combination with other therapies.
On the other hand, Halaven is approved in the U.S. for the treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer who have previously received at least two chemotherapeutic regimens for the metastatic disease.
The last few months saw Merck receiving a string of positive news regarding Keytruda, raising sales expectations for the drug. Further, a label expansion of the key drug should significantly boost sales of Merck.
However, the highly lucrative immuno-oncology market is being targeted by several other companies too. One of the other major players in this market is Roche Holding AG (RHHBY - Free Report) .
Merck currently has Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
A Key Pick in the Sector
A better-ranked stock in the health care sector is Heska Corp. sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Heska’s earnings estimates increased from $1.13 to $1.35 for 2016 and from $1.38 to $1.53 for 2017 over the last 60 days. The company posted a positive earnings surprise in all of the four trailing quarters with an average beat of 301.64%. Its share price has increased 77.9% year to date.
Zacks’ Best Private Investment Ideas
In addition to the recommendations that are available to the public on our website, how would you like to follow all Zacks' private buys and sells in real time?
Our experts cover all kinds of trades… from value to momentum . . . from stocks under $10 to ETF and option moves . . . from stocks that corporate insiders are buying up to companies that are about to report positive earnings surprises. You can even look inside exclusive portfolios that are normally closed to new investors. Starting today, for the next month, you can have unrestricted access. Click here for Zacks' private trades >>