Merck and Gilead discontinue Phase III KEYNOTE-D46/EVOKE-03 study

9 June 2026

US pharma majors Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK) and Gilead Sciences (Nasdaq: GILD) today announced the discontinuation of the Phase III KEYNOTE-D46/EVOKE-03 study investigating Gilead’s Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan-hziy) in combination with Keytruda (pembrolizumab), Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy, compared to Keytruda monotherapy in certain patients with previously untreated metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, whose tumors expressed PD-L1 (tumor proportion score [TPS] ≥50%).

The decision is based on the recommendation from the external Data Monitoring Committee (eDMC) following their review of the data from the pre-specified final analysis of progression-free survival (PFS) and interim analysis of overall survival (OS).

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