> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.fdaweb.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Merck, Incyte Advancing Combination Tumor Drug Program
- URL: https://www.fdaweb.com/merck-incyte-advancing-combination-tumor-drug-program/
- Published: 2017-01-10T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-14T21:59:14.000Z
- Author: David McFarland
- Tags: Drugs, #legacy-id-D5137676

Merck and Incyte Corp. have [announced](http://www.mercknewsroom.com/news-release/oncology-newsroom/incyte-and-merck-advance-clinical-development-program-investigating-c?ref=fdaweb.com) plans to advance the clinical development program investigating the combination of epacadostat, Incyte’s investigational oral selective IDO1 inhibitor, with Keytruda (pembrolizumab), Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy. The companies say they plan to begin pivotal studies of epacadostat in combination with Keytruda in four additional tumors: non-small cell lung cancer, renal cell carcinoma, bladder cancer and squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. They plan to present data from ongoing studies of epacadostat in combination with Keytruda at upcoming medical meetings. 

Keytruda is a humanized monoclonal antibody that works by increasing the ability of the body’s immune system to help detect and fight tumor cells, Merck says. It is currently approved for treating melanoma, lung cancer, and head and neck cancer.

  
Epacadostat is a first-in-class, highly potent and selective oral inhibitor of the IDO1 enzyme that reverses tumor-associated immune suppression and restores effective anti-tumor immune responses, the companies say. IDO1 is a key immunosuppressive enzyme that modulates the anti-tumor immune response by promoting regulatory T cell generation and blocking effector T cell activation, thereby facilitating tumor growth by allowing cancer cells to avoid immune surveillance.