In addition to securing a key position in first-line disease, Keytruda has potential to expand its presence in later lines with combination data from Seagen/Genmab’s Tivdak.

Pressure is growing on richer countries to share their excess vaccine doses, and the European Parliament has passed legislation intended to strengthen the EU’s health security framework and make joint vaccine procurement more transparent.

The companies announced data from their Phase II/III study in children aged 5-11 and intend to take them to regulators to expand Comirnaty's authorization; also, an expert panel advising India's drug regulator endorsed plans for a Phase III trial of a single-dose Russian vaccine, Sputnik Light, and vaccines from other Indian firms progress.

Libtayo looks to have surpassed all competitors but Merck’s Keytruda in first line NSCLC, but the unique ‘all-comers’ trial design of EMPOWER-Lung-3 complicates the picture.