MHRA approves retifanlimab for rare skin cancer

6 July 2026

The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has today approved  Incyte’s (Nasdaq: INCY) Zynyz (retifanlimab) as the first treatment given to adults with advanced Merkel cell skin cancer that has spread or returned and cannot be cured with an operation or radiotherapy.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive type of skin cancer that develops from Merkel cells, specialized neuroendocrine cells found in the top layer of the skin.

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