RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:EY sees bolt-ons in the single to double digit billions now
September 2022 - FiercePharma reported that Merck USA is seeking new assets to support its PD-1 inhibitor (Keytruda) franchise since a number of recent failures involving monotherapy Keytruda in combination with chemotherapy have become noteworthy. The dichotomy between Keytruda’s multibillion-dollar status and signs of deficiencies put an emphasis on the company’s ambitions. For now, the plan is twofold: Get Keytruda, a PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor, into earlier lines of treatment and continue to pursue a variety of combinations.
Consequently, Merck's plan to pursue a combination therapy strategy is one that ONCY has demonstrated to be synergistically effective when ONCY's IV OV pelareorep is combined with PD-(L)1 immune checkpoint inhibitors.
What has become increasingly evident is Merck's late coming realization for the need for a combination therapy approach for checkpoint inhibitors in order to release this class of drugs full potential.