Combining Merck & Co’s pembrolizumab with chemotherapy first-line improves survival and PFS in metastatic cervical cancer, reinforcing its position in a condition in the sights of a number of other companies, although usually in later lines of therapy.

Akebia brings in Cyclerion’s diabetes candidate praliciguat, plus deals involving Genmab/Bolt, Auris/Trasir, Zymergen/Lodo, Bavarian Nordic/Dynavax and more.

Roche presented data at ASCO on its two CD20-targeting bispecific antibodies, showing high response rates in heavily pretreated non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients.

Competition may be on the horizon but Tagrisso's position as standard of care for EGFR-mutated NSCLC looks solid, not least after a thumbs-up in the EU for the adjuvant treatment of adults with early-stage disease.