Merck & Co Inc. (MRK) announced on Monday that China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has granted approval for the use of Keytruda in combination with chemotherapy as a neoadjuvant treatment, followed by its use as an adjuvant therapy post-surgery for patients diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
This approval is underpinned by the findings from the KEYNOTE-671 study, in which Keytruda was assessed alongside chemotherapy as a pre-surgical treatment and as a standalone therapy post-surgery for patients with stage II, IIIA, or IIIB NSCLC. The study's data demonstrated a 28% reduction in the risk of death with this treatment protocol.
This marks the fourth approved indication for Keytruda in the treatment of NSCLC in China.
