Another Important Immuno-Oncology Combo Study Should Now Have Primary Results, Now: Merck + Eisai In Nonsquamous NSCLC.

The clinicaltrials.gov website indicates that Merck and Eisai should now know (as of August 21, 2023) the primary results from a study called LEAP-006, which is aimed at first line nonsquamous NSCLC -- when also treated with old-line platinum chemotherapy. This might prove to be a form of redemption -- from the moderate disappointment of the discontinuation of the same combo in other cancers, revealed last week.

This form of lung cancer is the second most common form of cancer, worldwide -- but it is the most common cancer in the US, by a wide margin (due primarily to cigarette smoking). Over 238,000 people in the US will be diagnosed with it this year.

The terrible briden of this disease is almost hard to imagine, and survival rates/durations are. . . not great. Even a moderate improvement by this combo under study would be extremely significant for literally millions of cancer patients, worldwide.

. . .NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer in the United States, accounting for 81% of all lung cancer diagnoses. In 2023, an estimated 238,340 adults (117,550 men and 120,790 women) in the United States will be diagnosed with lung cancer. . . .

Now you know. This is a vastly burgeoning potential market for the two therapies. So we will wait and see, whether we learn more about the LEAP-006 top-line outcome this week. Fingers. . . crossed.

नमस्ते