The Merck Keytruda-chemo combination has already been shown to extend survival in other types of non-small cell lung cancer. "Now we have the option of using immunotherapy in all patients in lung cancer," Herbst says. Both drugs cost about $150,000 per patient per year for an average lung cancer patient. "As we had imagined and hoped, Keytruda has proved to be foundational for the treatment of lung cancer," says Roger Perlmutter, the head of research and development at Merck. The reduction in the risk of cancer progressing, was about the same as in the Merck study: 30% for the Roche drug, versus 44% in the Merck study.

Source: Forbes June 03, 2018 14:48 UTC