Merck said a new formulation of the best-selling drug, Keytruda, appears to deliver similar blood levels of the medicine when it is given as a shot as when it is given intravenously.
For Merck, the new under-the-skin, or subcutaneous, formulation of Keytruda could represent a major way of holding on to a larger share of Keytruda’s $25 billion in annual sales than would otherwise occur when the medicine’s U.S. patent expires in 2028.
Keytruda is a cancer immunotherapy, which stimulates the immune system to attack tumor cells. It is the best-selling medicine in the world.
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