Merck Highlights New Long-Term Data and Advancements Across Broad Oncology Portfolio and Pipeline Research At Asco 2026

Merck announced new research from more than 100 abstracts across over 25 types of cancer from the company?s comprehensive oncology portfolio and pipeline will be presented at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting (May 29-June 2). Five-year follow-up data from the Phase 2b KEYNOTE-942 trial evaluating intismeran autogene in combination with KEYTRUDA for patients with high-risk melanoma following complete resection will be presented. Final analysis results from the Phase 3 KEYNOTE-522 trial evaluating KEYTRUDA in combination with chemotherapy as pre-operative treatment and then continuing as a single agent after surgery for the treatment of patients with high-risk early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) will be presented.

Progression-free survival data from the Phase 3 ASCENT-04/KEYNOTE-D19 study evaluating KEYTRUDA plus Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan-hziy) in previously untreated PD-L1-positive metastatic TNBC will be featured in the official ASCO 2026 Press Program. New data for sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT), an investigational TROP2-directed antibody-drug conjugate, add to ongoing research of novel treatment approaches for patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Five-year follow-up data from KEYNOTE-942 underscore the continued potential of intismeran autogene (mRNA-4157 or V940) in combination with KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) for patients with resected high-risk melanoma.

Results from the final analysis of KEYNOTE-522, evaluating KEYTRUDA in combination with chemotherapy, demonstrate continued survival benefit for patients with high-risk early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Data from ASCENT-04/KEYNOTE-D19, evaluating KEYTRUDA plus Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan-hziy) for patients with metastatic TNBC, will be featured in the official ASCO 2026 Press Program. Key data from Merck?s portfolio and pipeline to be presented include: Five-year follow-up data from the Phase 2b KEYNOTE-942 trial evaluating intismeran autogene in combination with KEYTRUDA for patients with high-risk melanoma following complete resection; Final analysis results from the Phase 3 KEYNOTE-522 trial evaluating KEYTRUDA in combination with chemotherapy as pre-operative treatment and then continuing as a single agent after surgery for the treatment of patients with high-risk early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC); Progression-free survival data from the Phase 3 ASCENT-04/KEYNOTE-D19 study evaluating KEYTRUDA plus Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan-hziy) in previously untreated PD-L1-positive metastatic TNBC.

Sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT) is an investigational TROP2-directed ADC with a belotecan-derived topoisomerase I inhibitor payload and a bifunctional linker designed with the potential to maximize payload delivery to tumor cells and minimize payload loss while circulating in the body. Sac-TMT is the only TROP2 ADC designed with a focus on both ends of the linker. TROP2 is overexpressed on tumor cells compared to healthy cells in many common cancers, and through the TroFuse clinical development program, Merck is evaluating sac-TMT in 17 ongoing global Phase 3 trials across multiple tumor types, the broadest range of disease and treatment settings compared to any TROP2-directed ADC to date.

The TroFuse development program spans early-to-late-stage disease in more than nine disease areas and includes more than 15,000 patients worldwide. Numerous Phase 3 trials are exploring sac-TMT as monotherapy and in combination with immunotherapies, aiming to improve survival and quality of life for patients with advanced and earlier-stage cancers. Intismeran autogene is a novel investigational messenger RNA (mRNA)-based individualized neoantigen therapy (INT) consisting of a synthetic mRNA coding for up to 34 neoantigens that is designed and produced based on the unique mutational signature of the DNA sequence of the patient?s tumor.

Upon administration into the body, the algorithmically derived and RNA-encoded neoantigen sequences are endogenously translated and undergo natural cellular antigen processing and presentation, a key step in adaptive immunity. Individualized neoantigen therapies are designed to train and activate an antitumor immune response by generating specific T-cell responses based on the unique mutational signature of a patient?s tumor. Raludotatug deruxtecan is an investigational, potential first-in-class CDH6 directed ADC.

Designed using Daiichi Sankyo?s proprietary DXd ADC Technology, raludotatug deruxtecan is comprised of a humanized anti-CDH6 IgG1 monoclonal antibody attached to a number of topoisomerase I inhibitor payloads (an exatecan derivative, DXd) via tetrapeptide-based cleavable linkers. KEYTRUDA is an anti-programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) therapy that works by increasing the ability of the body?s immune system to help detect and fight tumor cells. KEYTRUDA is a humanized monoclonal antibody that blocks the interaction between PD-1 and its ligands, PD-L1 and PD-L2, thereby activating T lymphocytes which may affect both tumor cells and healthy cells.

Merck has the industry?s immuno-oncology clinical research program. There are currently more than 2,800 trials studying KEYTRUDA across a wide variety of cancers and treatment settings. The KEYTRUDA clinical program seeks to understand the role of KEYTRUDA across cancers and the factors that may predict a patient's likelihood of benefitting from treatment with KEYTRUDA, including exploring several different biomarkers.