The study is the first late-stage trial of an antibody-drug conjugate and immunotherapy combination to meet its main goal in this first-line lung cancer setting, according to Kelun.
The data support the potential for sac-TMT plus Keytruda to challenge current standard-of-care regimens across a broader first-line lung cancer population, Leerink Partners analyst Akash Tewari said.
Separately, Merck on Wednesday said its cancer drug Keytruda met the main goal in a late-stage study in advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer.
As of the last close, the stock was up about 15% year to date.
Shares of drugmaker Merck rose 2.59% to $123.91 premarket after partner Kelun-Biotech on Tuesday said a late-stage study of its experimental cancer drug sac-TMT in combination with Merck's Keytruda met the main goal in first-line advanced lung cancer patients whose tumors lacked PD-L1 expression.
Kelun said the combination helped patients live longer without their disease worsening versus Keytruda plus chemotherapy and showed a positive trend toward overall survival.
