Publicado 18/05/2016 23:17
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Bringing Innovation to Patients: Merck Presents New Advances at ASCO 2016 (1)

DARMSTADT, Germany, May 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Not intended for UK- or US-based media     ASCO Abstract #

Avelumab: 4009, TPS4134, TPS4135, 9036, TPS9105, 3055, TPS3106, 8503, 4514, 4516, 5533, TPS5600, TPS4580, 9508; tepotinib: 4072

- Abstracts featuring Merck compounds span a broad range of cancers, with an

emphasis on those which are difficult-to-treat and represent significantunmet patient

need      

- Avelumab data in seven different cancers from rapidly accelerating JAVELIN clinical

program to be presented    

Merck, a leading science and technology company, announced that this year's Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO; June 3-7, 2016, Chicago, IL, U.S.) will feature research on Merck compounds across a broad range of cancers. These reports, which focus on cancers with significant unmet patient need, will inform and advance scientific knowledge within the oncology community. This includes data on avelumab*, Merck's high priority, late-stage investigational immuno-therapy, that is being developed in collaboration with Pfizer.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/201605... )

"We have a clear and focused commitment to accelerate oncology innovation and transform the way cancer is treated, both by leveraging our internal expertise and capabilities, and through our collaborations," said Luciano Rossetti, Executive Vice President, Head of Global Research & Development at the biopharma business of Merck. "Avelumab is an example of this strategy coming to life, as it was originally discovered by Merck and is being co-developed with Pfizer. More broadly, we will be presenting data across multiple tumor types at ASCO as we continue to advance our oncology and immuno-oncology pipeline."

Collaborating to bring innovation to cancer patients    

Merck and Pfizer are presenting avelumab data at this year's congress that reflect the significant progress this alliance is making. This includes results from the pivotal, Phase II metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma trial which, taken together with data from other challenging tumors being evaluated in the JAVELIN clinical development program, supports efficacy and a favorable safety profile for avelumab. Avelumab, an investigational, fully human, anti-programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) monoclonal antibody, has a dual mechanism of action that is believed to enable the immune system to find and attack cancer cells. Avelumab's clinical program, one of the largest immuno-oncology development programs, now includes approximately 2,200 patients across more than 15 tumor types. Together, the two companies have initiated 30 ongoing monotherapy or combination therapy programs with avelumab, including nine pivotal studies.

Innovation: treatment and beyond    

Erbitux(R) (cetuximab) and precision medicine remain a strategic priority for Merck. As a cornerstone of treatment in RAS wild-type mCRC and SCCHN, Merck is committed to exploring Erbitux as an 'anchor' treatment in combination with immuno-therapies in these indications. Erbitux also continues to captivate the interest of leading researchers and the medical community with more than 30 abstracts at ASCO, the majority from investigator-led studies.

Merck aims to improve patients' experiences along their treatment journey by helping patients and physicians to make faster treatment decisions. Merck is the first pharmaceutical company to collaborate with multiple diagnostic companies to co-develop and commercialize innovative liquid biopsy RAS biomarker tests to determine which patients with mCRC would benefit from treatment with Erbitux. At ASCO, Merck's partner Sysmex Inostics will be presenting new data demonstrating the value of the co-developed and commercialized liquid biopsy test, which received CE mark approval earlier this year.

Truly innovative pipeline    

Following Merck's strategic reassessment of its portfolio, there is significant potential with later-stage priority programs and Merck's truly innovative early pipeline. Six out of seven of the current pipeline products in Phases I-III were discovered in Merck's labs.

Data will be presented on another of these Merck-discovered compounds, tepotinib**, an investigational, highly selective, small molecule inhibitor of the c-Met receptor tyrosine kinase. The ASCO presentation will report on tepotinib's clinical activity and tolerability in Asian patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, a cancer in which there is a considerable need for new treatment options.

Through Merck's Translational Innovation Platforms in oncology and immuno-oncology, the company is developing differentiated therapeutic drugs targeting distinct cancer hallmarks and multiple immune-system-mediated mechanisms. These include, among others, DNA repair, antibody drug conjugates, oncogenes, tumor antigens, T-cell therapies, and targeted cytokines and chemokines.


Avelumab is the proposed nonproprietary name for the anti-PD-L1 mAb (also known as MSB0010718C)

**Tepotinib is the proposed nonproprietary name for the c-Met kinase inhibitor (also known as MSC2156119J).

Avelumab and tepotinib are under clinical investigation and have not been proven to be safe and effective. There is no guarantee any product will be approved in the sought-after indication by any health authority worldwide.

Notes to Editors    

Accepted Merck-supported abstracts are listed below. In addition, a number of investigator-sponsored studies have been accepted, including several related to Erbitux and avelumab (not listed).

(CONTINUA)

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