Merck/Kelun ADC sac-TMT cuts death risk by one-third in advanced endometrial cancer

A randomized Phase 3 trial showed that the antibody‑drug conjugate sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac‑TMT) reduced the risk of death by about one‑third in patients with advanced endometrial cancer.

The therapy, developed jointly by Merck and China’s Kelun‑Biotech, is a targeted chemotherapy that has already demonstrated survival benefits in several other cancer types in studies conducted in China, where it is already approved.

Merck is now running 18 global Phase 3 studies of sac‑TMT, including ten focused on women’s cancers, to seek regulatory approval in the United States, Europe and other markets outside China.

The drug is viewed as a key component of Merck’s strategy to offset the revenue loss expected when its blockbuster immunotherapy Keytruda loses patent protection in 2028.