Merck initiates clinical trial to evaluate MK-3475 and pazopanib in advanced renal cell carcinoma

Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced the initiation of a clinical trial to evaluate the combination of the company's investigational anti-PD-1 immunotherapy, MK-3475, and GlaxoSmithKline's orally administered kinase inhibitor, pazopanib, in advanced renal cell carcinoma.

"Collaborations like this are central to Merck's strategy to evaluate the potential of MK-3475 for the treatment of cancer," said Iain Dukes, senior vice president, Licensing and External Scientific Affairs, Merck Research Laboratories. "We look forward to initiating further collaborations to investigate MK-3475 in combination with other anti-cancer agents across a range of tumor types."

Merck and GlaxoSmithKline entered a collaboration to study MK-3475 with pazopanib and other agents in the GlaxoSmithKline portfolio in the future. This Phase I/II clinical trial is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a combination of MK-3475 and pazopanib in treatment naïve patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma. Further details of the collaboration were not disclosed.

SOURCE Merck