Merck is anticipated to receive patent protection
Post# of 154874
(Total Views: 573)
Posted On: 05/19/2025 12:37:26 AM
Merck is anticipated to receive patent protection for it's subcutaneous version of Keytruda. As I recall through 2040.
I have mixed feelings about that... seems like an end-around to me. They've clearly made their investment back--and a shit-ton more! But getting a subcutaneous PD-1 inhibitor to pair with leronlimab would be another paradigm shift... on the drug-delivery front.
In fact it is suggestive of a future where a significant percentage of cancer treatment will consist of self-injectables on a weekly basis. Imagine that--no chemo, no infusions, no office visits... I don't know the side effect profile of subcutaneous Keydruda, but if it's milder than the infusion that would be another huge plus.
Of course the above scenario depends on Keytruda being the best PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor out there to pair with our sweet molecule. Roche's Tecentriq clearly works well. Perhaps another will rise to the surface...
Well, whatever we end up being paired with, let's get it into first-line patients pronto for as many complete responses as possible! There is a great deal of research ahead... so many life and death questions that need answers. The one certainty is our mab will be at the center of it all. There may be a lot of PD-1/PDL-1 inhibitors out there, but there is only one leronlimab.
I have mixed feelings about that... seems like an end-around to me. They've clearly made their investment back--and a shit-ton more! But getting a subcutaneous PD-1 inhibitor to pair with leronlimab would be another paradigm shift... on the drug-delivery front.
In fact it is suggestive of a future where a significant percentage of cancer treatment will consist of self-injectables on a weekly basis. Imagine that--no chemo, no infusions, no office visits... I don't know the side effect profile of subcutaneous Keydruda, but if it's milder than the infusion that would be another huge plus.
Of course the above scenario depends on Keytruda being the best PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor out there to pair with our sweet molecule. Roche's Tecentriq clearly works well. Perhaps another will rise to the surface...
Well, whatever we end up being paired with, let's get it into first-line patients pronto for as many complete responses as possible! There is a great deal of research ahead... so many life and death questions that need answers. The one certainty is our mab will be at the center of it all. There may be a lot of PD-1/PDL-1 inhibitors out there, but there is only one leronlimab.
(18)
(0)