Keytruda approved for PD-L1-expressing NSCLC patients

FDA granted accelerated approval to Keytruda pembrolizumab from Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK) to treat advanced squamous and non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in previously treated patients, though the label is limited to patients with PD-L1-positive tumors.

The approval was based on data from patients in the Phase Ib KEYNOTE-001 trial who demonstrated PD-L1 expression in at least 50% of tumor cells. ...