Merck Receives FDA Approval for Keytruda in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

Merck today announced that the FDA has approved KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) in combination with pemetrexed and platinum chemotherapy as first-line treatment for adults with unresectable advanced or metastatic malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). In the Phase 3 KEYNOTE-483 trial, KEYTRUDA plus chemotherapy demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in overall survival compared to chemotherapy alone. The median OS was 17.3 months for KEYTRUDA plus chemotherapy versus 16.1 months for chemotherapy alone. This approval provides patients with MPM a new first-line treatment option.