The FDA approved six cancer therapies in Q2 2026, including first-line sacituzumab govitecan for triple-negative breast cancer and capivasertib for PTEN-deficient prostate cancer. A separate study shows 69% of accelerated-approval cancer drugs need safety updates within 4 years.
Merck will acquire Terns Pharmaceuticals for $6.7 billion to bolster its cancer pipeline ahead of Keytruda's 2028 patent expiration. The deal gives Merck access to TERN-701, an oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor for chronic myeloid leukemia. Merck projects over $70 billion in commercial opportunities from its pipeline by the mid-2030s.
The 2026 ASCO GU Symposium featured significant trial results in renal cell carcinoma, urothelial carcinoma, and prostate cancer, including data from LITESPARK-022, KEYNOTE-B15, SunRISE-2, and PEACE-3 studies.