US regulators fast-track Merck's sacituzumab tiratuxetan for advanced endometrial cancer
Merck's latest cancer drug, sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT), just got fast-tracked by US regulators after a big clinical trial showed it helps women with advanced endometrial cancer live longer.
The drug delivers its payload to cells that carry TROP2, which is common in endometrial tumors, and could get approved as soon as next year.
Merck is hoping for an early green light.
Sacituzumab tirapazamine extends survival despite toxicity
In a study of 776 patients whose cancer had come back or gotten worse, those on sac-TMT lived about seven months longer than those on standard chemo (19 months vs. 12.1 months).
The drug also slowed down the disease and shrank tumors in more people, 35% saw tumor shrinkage compared to 17% with regular chemo.
But it's not all smooth sailing: over half of patients had serious side effects, and a small number had to stop treatment because of them.