Why cheers broke out for Merck at a major cancer conference

Merck rolled out some showstoppers at the European Society for Medical Oncology's annual conference. Its future may depend on them.

October 20, 2025 Check out STAT+

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Andrew Joseph/STAT STAT+ | Merck rolls out some showstoppers at a major cancer conference. Its future may depend on them Doctors applauded Merck's impressive Keytruda results and next-gen ADC data at ESMO 2025, a glimpse into how the firm sees its post-Keytruda future. By Andrew Joseph STAT+ | mRNA Covid shots may boost the effects of certain cancer treatments, study suggests Patients with advanced cancers who received a Covid vaccine before getting an immunotherapy drug lived significantly longer than patients who did not. By Angus Chen STAT+ | FDA review of drugs is slowing while application delays are growing, analysis finds The data signals a "risk we believe may not be fully appreciated given recent market highs," RBC Capital Markets analysts cautioned. By Ed Silverman Jeff Pinette for STAT STAT+ | Moderna co-founder Noubar Afeyan issues warning: Assault on science 'isn't going to stop at mRNA' Noubar Afeyan tells STAT Summit that political moves to replace facts with opinions won't stop with mRNA vaccines. "It's going to go to every medicine." By Jason Mast STAT+ | Duke data scientist launches startup to help hospitals adopt AI Vega Health will offer a menu of artificial intelligence products to hospitals as well as tools to monitor their performance. By Casey Ross STAT+ | With questions surrounding its gastric cancer drug, Amgen fills in some gaps  Revised analysis of data on the drug, called bemarituzumab, had led to uncertainty about benefits, amid questions about possible safety issues as well. By Andrew Joseph Anastasia Vlasova/Getty Images Opinion: How to keep commercial surrogacy from getting banned An alliance among some religious groups, members of the Make America Healthy Again movement, and feminists is gaining ground By Arthur L. Caplan Head of addiction medicine society warns of treatment cuts and rising threat of gambling At STAT Summit, Stephen Taylor, ASAM president, sees hope in GLP-1s, and warns about coercive care and links between gambling and suicide. By Lev Facher

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