July 15, 2026--RAHWAY, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, today announced the Phase 3 KEYNOTE‑C93 trial evaluating KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab), Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy, met its primary endpoint of progression-free survival (PFS) for the treatment of patients with mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer who had not previously received systemic chemotherapy or who experienced recurrence more than six months after completing prior adjuvant therapy. KEYTRUDA is the first and only PD-1 inhibitor to show a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in PFS as monotherapy compared to platinum doublet chemotherapy for these patients in a Phase 3 trial.
At a pre-specified interim analysis conducted by an independent Data Monitoring Committee, a trend toward improvement in overall survival (OS), the trial’s other primary endpoint, was observed for KEYTRUDA; however, these OS data were not mature at the time of this analysis. The trial is ongoing, and OS for the full study population will be evaluated at a future analysis. This analysis also showed a clinically meaningful overall response rate (ORR), as well as complete response rate (CRR) and duration of response (DOR) for KEYTRUDA. The safety profile of KEYTRUDA in this trial was consistent with that observed in previously reported studies; no new safety signals were identified. Results will be presented at an upcoming medical meeting and shared with regulatory authorities.
“This is the first Phase 3 trial of a PD-1 inhibitor to show improved PFS compared to platinum doublet chemotherapy when given as monotherapy in the frontline setting for these patients, potentially providing a chemo-free option,” said Dr. Brian Slomovitz, director of Gynecologic Oncology and deputy director of the Braman Comprehensive Cancer Center at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, Florida, and the study’s overall principal investigator.
“These findings build upon the well-established role of KEYTRUDA in endometrial cancer, one of the few cancers with rising incidence rates,” said Dr. Gursel Aktan, vice president, global clinical development, Merck Research Laboratories. “We are committed to helping women facing this disease by advancing potential treatment options. We thank the patients and investigators for their important contributions to this study and look forward to sharing these results with the medical community.”
In the U.S., KEYTRUDA is the only anti-PD-1 therapy with three approved indications for patients with certain types of endometrial cancer. KEYTRUDA is indicated: in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel, followed by KEYTRUDA as a single agent, for the treatment of adult patients with primary advanced or recurrent endometrial carcinoma; in combination with LENVIMA® (lenvatinib), in collaboration with Eisai, for the treatment of patients with advanced endometrial carcinoma that is mismatch repair proficient (pMMR), as determined by an FDA-authorized test, or not microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H), who have disease progression following prior systemic therapy in any setting and are not candidates for curative surgery or radiation; and as a single agent, for the treatment of adult patients with advanced endometrial carcinoma that is MSI-H or dMMR, as determined by an FDA-authorized test, who have disease progression following prior systemic therapy in any setting and are not candidates for curative surgery or radiation.
Merck has a comprehensive clinical development program evaluating KEYTRUDA (both as monotherapy and in combination with chemotherapy) and sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT), an investigational TROP2-directed antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) being developed in collaboration with Kelun-Biotech, in endometrial cancer. As previously announced, TroFuse-005 (NCT06132958) met its primary endpoints of PFS and OS, as well as its key secondary endpoint of ORR in patients with endometrial cancer who have previously received platinum-based chemotherapy and immunotherapy. In addition, TroFuse-033 (NCT06952504) is enrolling patients with pMMR endometrial cancer to evaluate sac-TMT in an earlier treatment setting of first-line maintenance. The KEYNOTE-B21 trial (NCT04634877) remains ongoing for analysis in the dMMR subgroup.
About KEYNOTE-C93
KEYNOTE-C93 is a randomized, open-label Phase 3 trial (NCT05173987) evaluating KEYTRUDA monotherapy versus carboplatin plus paclitaxel in patients with dMMR advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer who have not previously been treated with prior systemic chemotherapy. The trial enrolled 299 patients who were randomized to receive either:
-
KEYTRUDA (400 mg) intravenously every six weeks for up to 18 cycles, or;
-
Combination of paclitaxel (175 mg/m 2) and carboplatin (AUC 5 or 6) every three weeks for six cycles.
The trial’s dual primary endpoints are PFS, as assessed by blinded independent central review (BICR) according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1 (RECIST v1.1), and OS. A key secondary endpoint of the study is ORR.
About endometrial cancer
Endometrial cancer (also referred to as endometrial carcinoma) begins in the inner lining of the uterus, which is known as the endometrium, and is the most common type of cancer in the uterus. More than 90% of uterine body cancers occur in the endometrium. Endometrial cancer is one of the few cancers with increasing mortality. In the U.S., it is estimated there will be approximately 68,270 patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer and approximately 14,450 patient deaths from the disease in 2026. Globally, endometrial cancer is the sixth most common cancer in women and the 15th most common cancer overall.
About Merck’s research in women’s cancers
Merck is advancing research aimed at expanding treatment options for certain breast and gynecologic (ovarian, cervical and endometrial) cancers, with a goal of improving outcomes for more patients affected by these diseases. Breast cancer and gynecologic cancers are the first and second most commonly occurring cancer types among women worldwide, respectively, and Merck aims to provide options to patients facing these devastating diseases. With more than 30 clinical trials in nearly 20,000 patients around the world, Merck is driving innovative research to purposefully advance standards of care in women’s cancers. Merck’s research efforts include trials focused on evaluating its medicines in earlier stages, as well as identifying novel mechanisms and new combinations with these treatments. Through our portfolio and pipeline, Merck is working to address the impact of women’s cancers on patients, their families and communities globally.
About KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) injection for intravenous use, 100 mg
KEYTRUDA is an anti-programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) therapy that works by increasing the ability of the body’s immune system to help detect and fight tumor cells. KEYTRUDA is a humanized monoclonal antibody that blocks the interaction between PD-1 and its ligands, PD-L1 and PD-L2, thereby activating T lymphocytes which may affect both tumor cells and healthy cells.
Merck has the industry’s largest immuno-oncology clinical research program. There are currently more than 2,800 trials studying KEYTRUDA across a wide variety of cancers and treatment settings. The KEYTRUDA clinical program seeks to understand the role of KEYTRUDA across cancers and the factors that may predict a patient's likelihood of benefitting from treatment with KEYTRUDA, including exploring several different biomarkers.
About LENVIMA® (lenvatinib); available as 10 mg and 4 mg capsules
LENVIMA, discovered and developed by Eisai, is an orally available multiple receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor that inhibits the kinase activities of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptors VEGFR1 (FLT1), VEGFR2 (KDR), and VEGFR3 (FLT4). LENVIMA inhibits other kinases that have been implicated in pathogenic angiogenesis, tumor growth, and cancer progression in addition to their normal cellular functions, including fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptors FGFR1-4, the platelet derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRα), KIT, and RET. In syngeneic mouse tumor models, LENVIMA decreased tumor-associated macrophages, increased activated cytotoxic T cells, and demonstrated greater antitumor activity in combination with an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody compared to either treatment alone.
Merck’s focus on cancer
Every day, we follow the science as we work to discover innovations that can help patients, no matter what stage of cancer they have. As a leading oncology company, we are pursuing research where scientific opportunity and medical need converge, underpinned by our diverse pipeline of more than 20 novel mechanisms. With one of the largest clinical development programs across more than 25 tumor types, we strive to advance breakthrough science that will shape the future of oncology. By addressing barriers to clinical trial participation, screening and treatment, we work with urgency to reduce disparities and help ensure patients have access to high-quality cancer care. Our unwavering commitment is what will bring us closer to our goal of bringing life to more patients with cancer.
About Merck
At Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, we are unified around our purpose: We use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. For more than 130 years, we have brought hope to humanity through the development of important medicines and vaccines. We aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world – and today, we are at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of diseases in people and animals. We foster a diverse and inclusive global workforce and operate responsibly every day to enable a safe, sustainable and healthy future for all people and communities.