Merck (NYSE:MRK) unveiled groundbreaking final results from the Phase 3 KEYNOTE-B96 trial today at the ESGO 2026 Congress, demonstrating that a Keytruda-based regimen can extend the lives of patients facing one of the most aggressive forms of ovarian cancer.
In the trial, Keytruda in combination with chemotherapy (paclitaxel)—with or without bevacizumab—reduced the risk of death by 18% in "all-comer" patients, regardless of their PD-L1 status.
Patients on the Keytruda regimen saw a median overall survival (OS) of 17.7 months, compared to 14 months for those receiving standard chemotherapy alone.
According to Dr. Nicoletta Colombo of the European Institute of Oncology, these results are among the longest survival figures ever reported in a clinical trial for platinum-resistant recurrent ovarian cancer.
The data release comes amid a flurry of regulatory wins for the therapy.
Earlier this month, the U.S. FDA approved the Keytruda combination for adults with PD-L1-expressing (CPS ≥1) platinum-resistant ovarian cancer who have failed up to two prior lines of therapy.