FDA approves 1st cancer drug based on genetics, not tissue type

In a landmark decision, the FDA approved Merck‘s (NYSE:MRK) immunotherapy Keytruda yesterday as the 1st cancer treatment indicated for any solid tumor with a specific genetic feature, regardless of tissue type.

Traditionally, the location where a cancer originates in a patient’s body determines the course of treatment. The move to treat cancers based on genetic biomarkers is a nod towards precision medicine, which physicians hope will help identify patients that are most likely to respond to specific therapies.

Get the full story at our sister site, Drug Delivery Business News.

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