In another attempt to expand the use of Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) beyond patients whose cancers express high levels of PD-L1 (programmed death ligand-1), Merck & Co. has established a new collaboration with Eisai to study Lenvima® (lenvatinib mesylate), both alone and in combination with Keytruda, in 11 additional potential indications across six cancer types. The global co-development and co-commercialisation deal follows encouraging results from the renal cell carcinoma cohort of a Phase Ib/II study of Lenvima in combination with Keytruda in which 63% of patients achieved an objective response rate after 24 weeks.