Seattle area biotech company Seagen released early data on a trial of its drug Padcev combined with Merck’s Keytruda in patients with certain types of urothelial cancer. An analyst with SVB Securities told Endpoints News the data “came in above what we viewed as the bar for success,” with a 64.5% response rate, though the effects of Padcev alone and the duration of response in the trial were not available.
The news comes amid reports that Seagen is in talks with Merck about a potential acquisition. The Wall Street Journal reported that the acquisition deal was set to be finalized by end of this month, but was later delayed in part to await for data from the trial, which is being run in partnership with Astellas Pharma.
