MERCK
24.6.2024 22:36:33 CEST | Business Wire | Press release
Merck, a leading science and technology company, today announced the discontinuation of the Phase III randomized TrilynX study evaluating xevinapant plus chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in patients with unresected locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (LA SCCHN). The decision follows a pre-planned interim analysis performed by the study’s Independent Data Monitoring Committee, which found that the trial would be unlikely to meet its primary objective of prolonging event-free survival. Top-line safety data were overall compatible with the chemo-radio sensitizing properties of xevinapant. The company will conduct an in-depth review of the data and will share the results in a peer-reviewed forum.
LA SCCHN has proven to be a difficult-to-treat form of cancer. CRT has remained the standard of care for decades, despite multiple studies designed to improve outcomes with new treatment approaches, including multiple immunotherapy trials.
“We sincerely thank the patients, caregivers and clinical investigators who participated in this trial,” said Danny Bar-Zohar, Global Head of Research & Development and Chief Medical Officer for the Healthcare business sector of Merck. “While we are disappointed by these results, we remain steadfast in our commitment to develop transformative medicines within our oncology portfolio for areas of high unmet need.”
Given the totality of the data, the company decided to also stop the Phase III clinical trial X-Ray Vision (xevinapant plus radiotherapy, compared to placebo plus radiotherapy) in patients who underwent resection of locally advanced head and neck cancer.
Merck is working to develop and deliver new treatment options that exploit the vulnerabilities of tumor cells. The company is exploring modalities including antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and DNA damage response (DDR) inhibitors, across multiple tumor types, including many that have proven difficult to treat where there are significant unmet needs for patients. The company’s support for the head and neck cancer community remains steadfast with Erbitux®, approved in combination with radiotherapy for the initial treatment of locally advanced SCCHN, and which continues to be studied in more than 200 active clinical trials, including at least 15 Phase III studies.
About Xevinapant
Xevinapant (formerly known as Debio 1143) is an investigational potent oral small-molecule IAP (inhibitor of apoptosis protein) inhibitor. In March 2021, Merck gained exclusive rights from Debiopharm International SA to develop and commercialize xevinapant worldwide. Xevinapant is not approved for any use anywhere in the world.
Advancing the Future of Cancer Care
At Merck we strive every day to improve the futures of people living with cancer. Our research explores the full potential of promising mechanisms in cancer research, focused on synergistic approaches designed to hit cancer at its core. We are determined to maximize the impact of our standard-of-care treatments and to continue pioneering novel medicines. Our vision is to create a world where more cancer patients will become cancer survivors. Learn more at www.merckgrouponcology.com.
About Merck
Merck, a leading science and technology company, operates across life science, healthcare and electronics. Around 63,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people’s lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From providing products and services that accelerate drug development and manufacturing as well as discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices – the company is everywhere. In 2023, Merck generated sales of € 21 billion in 65 countries.
Scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to Merck’s technological and scientific advances. This is how Merck has thrived since its founding in 1668. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company. Merck holds the global rights to the Merck name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck operate as MilliporeSigma in life science, EMD Serono in healthcare, and EMD Electronics in electronics.
All Merck press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the Merck website. Please go to www.merckgroup.com/subscribe to register online, change your selection or discontinue this service.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240624549928/en/
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Andersen Global udvider sin afrikanske platform med tilføjelsen af medlemsfirma i Namibia9.5.2026 02:35:00 CEST | Pressemeddelelse
Andersen Global udbygger sin tilstedeværelse i Afrika med tilføjelsen af Andersen in Namibia, da Windhoek Advisory & Taxation tager Andersen-brandet til sig og styrker sine forudsætninger for at betjene virksomheder med aktiviteter i et af det sydlige Afrikas dynamiske vækstmarkeder. Andersen in Namibia har været et samarbejdsfirma siden 2021 og er en lokalt ejet revisions- og konsulentvirksomhed, der leverer ydelser inden for regnskab, skat og forretningsrådgivning, tilpasset de unikke behov i Namibias erhvervsklima. Med ekspertise inden for minedrift, landbrug, logistik, turisme og finansielle tjenesteydelser – sektorer, der er afgørende for Namibias økonomi – bistår firmaet både indenlandske virksomheder og internationale selskaber, der etablerer sig i regionen. Gennem cloudbaseret teknologi og datadrevet indsigt leverer Andersen i Namibia effektive og skalerbare løsninger, der gør det muligt for virksomheder at optimere deres drift, håndtere skatteforpligtelser på tværs af jurisdik
Andersen Consulting styrker sine kompetencer inden for organisatorisk transformation med Afiniti8.5.2026 20:45:00 CEST | Pressemeddelelse
Andersen Consulting annoncerer en samarbejdsaftale med Afiniti, et globalt konsulentfirma inden for forretningstransformation med hovedkontor i Storbritannien, der hjælper organisationer med at levere og opretholde komplekse forandringsprojekter. Afiniti blev stiftet i 2003 og er et globalt konsulenthus inden for forretningsforandring med base i Storbritannien og USA. De støtter klienter gennem komplekse transformationer på tværs af mennesker, processer, systemer og data, og de skaber mærkbare forandringer gennem kreative konsulentydelser. Virksomheden betjener primært stærkt regulerede, sikkerhedsdrevne og aktivtunge organisationer med store, geografisk spredte arbejdsstyrker inden for sektorer som energi, forsyning, biovidenskab, transport og byggeri. Afiniti samarbejder med velkendte brands om at levere ekspertise fra start til slut på tværs af organisatoriske, digitale og ai-baserede transformationer samt ændringer i kultur og driftsmodeller. Dette gælder især komplekse scenarier s
Verdantis Launches MRO360 “The World's First AI-Native Spare Parts Intelligence Platform”8.5.2026 15:40:00 CEST | Press release
MRO360 is the first milestone in Verdantis's journey to deliver the industry's first fully AI-native Enterprise Asset Management solution. Verdantis today announced the global launch of MRO360, a purpose-built AI platform that transforms how asset-intensive organizations manage their MRO spare parts inventory. Designed for manufacturers, oil and gas operators, mining companies, utilities, and other industrial enterprises, MRO360 deploys nine interconnected AI agents that continuously forecast demand, score parts criticality, manage obsolescence risk, calculate dynamic reorder points, helps intercompany plant transfer thereby realizing the exact dollar value of every optimization opportunity across a spare parts catalog in real time. Unlike traditional EAM and CMMS platforms built on static rules, MRO360's agents adapt continuously as demand patterns, supplier performance, and equipment health evolve. For the first time, a maintenance planner can see which work orders are at supply risk
Cyble Positioned as a Challenger in the 2026 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Cyberthreat Intelligence Technologies8.5.2026 15:22:00 CEST | Press release
Cyble today announced it has been recognized as a Challenger in the 2026 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Cyberthreat Intelligence Technologies. The company believes this recognition underscores Cyble’s mission to make threat intelligence truly operational—delivering AI-native capabilities that enable enterprises, government agencies, and MSSPs to shift from reactive security to proactive, intelligence-driven defense. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260508164528/en/ Cyble Named a Challenger in the 2026 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Cyberthreat Intelligence Technologies "Security teams are under constant pressure to respond faster with greater accuracy," said Beenu Arora, Co-Founder and CEO, Cyble. "We believe this recognition highlights our focus on delivering intelligence that drives real outcomes—cutting through noise, accelerating response, and enabling confident decision-making at scale." Intelligence That Acts
WHOOP Expands Health Platform with On-Demand Clinician Access and New AI Features8.5.2026 15:00:00 CEST | Press release
New updates introduce a more personalized, data-driven member experience—bridging the gap between continuous biometrics, real-world context, and clinical insight WHOOP, the human performance company, today announced a new suite of health and AI-driven enhancements and feature updates across the WHOOP memberships, marking a major step forward in its evolution into an intelligent health platform. These updates deepen the company’s commitment to delivering highly personalized, accurate, and actionable insights. They signal the company’s expansion beyond performance optimization into clinical-grade health support. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260508464188/en/ WHOOP Expands Health Platform with On-Demand Clinician Access and New AI Features “WHOOP is a membership, and we take that seriously,” said Ed Baker, Chief Product Officer of WHOOP. “We’re always asking how we can deliver more value to our members, and the
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom