Excessive immunity?

Merck & Co. Inc. is mum on the cause of the deaths that led to a clinical hold on multiple myeloma trials combining Keytruda pembrolizumab with immunomodulatory agents, but overstimulation of the immune system is a potential culprit.

On July 5, Merck announced FDA placed full clinical holds on the Phase III KEYNOTE-183 and KEYNOTE-185 studies. KEYNOTE-183 was assessing Keytruda plus dexamethasone and Pomalyst pomalidomide from Celgene Corp. in about 300 MM patients with either refractory, or relapsed and refractory disease, who received at least two lines of prior treatment. ...