Merck KGaA, Pfizer drug fails late-stage cancer trial

Nov. 19, 2018

Merck KGaA and Pfizer announced that the cancer immunotherapy avelumab did not meet the primary endpoints of a phase 3 ovarian cancer trial.

The trial, JAVELIN Ovarian 200, tested avelumab both alone and in combination with chemotherapy, specifically focusing on individuals with platinum-resistant or -refractory ovarian cancer, or cancers that did not respond to prior chemotherapy treatment.

According to Merck, despite failing to meet endpoints, study results indicate potential clinical activity of the combination of avelumab and chemotherapy, and the drugmakers plan to further analyze this.

Earlier this year, avelumab failed meet its primary endpoint in a lung cancer trial as well.

Read the press release

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