Inhibrx's INBRX-106 + Keytruda Nearly Doubles Response Rate in Head and Neck Cancer
MRK sits 92% above its 52-week low of $77.58 on light trading volume (0.2× avg).
Summary
Inhibrx Biosciences reported Phase 2 HexAgon data showing its INBRX-106 combined with Merck's Keytruda achieved a 48.3% objective response rate versus 26.5% for Keytruda alone in PD-L1 positive head and neck cancer. Median progression-free survival was 9.6 months versus 4.9 months, with particularly strong results in HPV-positive patients (80% ORR). Inhibrx plans to expand the trial by ~50 HPV-positive patients and align with FDA on a confirmatory Phase 3. This is a positive read-through for Merck's Keytruda franchise, which already dominates the head and neck cancer space, though the direct financial impact on Merck is modest given its size. The news follows Merck's recent Keytruda combination approvals and strong Q2 results, reinforcing the drug's central role in immuno-oncology.
At the time of this announcement, MRK was trading at $148.81 on NYSE in the Life Sciences sector, with a market capitalization of approximately $367.1B. The 52-week trading range was $77.58 to $156.92. This news item was assessed with positive market sentiment and an importance score of 7 out of 10. Source: Benzinga.