Merck announced it will present data from more than 100 abstracts across 25 cancer types at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting (May 29-June 2), highlighting long-term findings for its anti-PD-1 therapy KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) and pipeline programs in oncology.
Key Data Presentations
The company will showcase five-year follow-up data from the Phase 2b KEYNOTE-942 trial of intismeran autogene in combination with KEYTRUDA for high-risk melanoma following complete resection. Final analysis results from the Phase 3 KEYNOTE-522 trial will be presented, evaluating KEYTRUDA combined with chemotherapy as pre-operative treatment and then as a single agent after surgery for high-risk early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).
Additional presentations include data from the Phase 3 OptiTROP-Lung05 trial conducted in China, evaluating sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT) plus KEYTRUDA in advanced non-small cell lung cancer, and 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.
Pipeline Advances
Dr. Marjorie Green, senior vice president and head of oncology global clinical development at Merck Research Laboratories, stated the company will present data on “intismeran autogene, our investigational individualized neoantigen therapy (INT)” and noted interest in sharing research on “novel treatment approaches, such as our INT and antibody-drug conjugates, which may help address significant unmet medical needs for patients living with cancer.”
Intismeran autogene is described as a messenger RNA-based individualized neoantigen therapy consisting of synthetic mRNA coding for up to 34 neoantigens designed based on each patient’s unique tumor mutational signature. Merck is also advancing sac-TMT through the TroFuse clinical development program, evaluating it in 17 ongoing Phase 3 trials across multiple tumor types, involving more than 15,000 patients worldwide.
Investor Event
Merck will hold an Oncology Investor Event on Monday, June 1, 2026, at 6 p.m. CT in Chicago, during which senior management will provide updates on oncology strategy and programs. The event will be accessible via webcast.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.timesargus.com/news/business/merck-highlights-new-long-term-data-and-advancements-across-broad-oncology-portfolio-and-pipeline-research/article_9829b89d-330d-5c05-ac19-a7c2a4996216.html