Hear that low rumble in the distance? That’s a locomotive loaded with biosimilars headed straight for Merck & Co.’s flagship cancer med Keytruda, bringing direct competition to where the megablockbuster now stands as a formidable pillar in oncology.
But Merck is no victim tied to the railroad tracks — the pharma giant has a plan, and Tuesday’s launch of Keytruda’s subcutaneous version following regulatory approval last month has them heading in the right direction, according to consensus forecasts from Evaluate.
Delivered under the skin in one or two minutes — as opposed to a half-hour infusion — Keytruda Qlex is expected to gain traction quickly, although not nearly as fast as the original’s pending decline. Qlex has been approved for 38 of the solid tumor indications addressed by the original.
Keytruda pulled in almost $29.5 billion as the bestselling drug…