Merck's MK-2010 PD-1/VEGF Bispecific Shows 55% Response Rate in First-Line NSCLC at AACR 2026

Merck presented first-in-human data for MK-2010, a novel PD-1 x VEGF bispecific antibody licensed from LaNova Medicines ($588M upfront in late 2024), showing an unconfirmed overall response rate of 55% in 11 previously untreated PD-L1-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients at the 20mg/kg dose level. The dual-targeting mechanism simultaneously blocks the PD-1 immune checkpoint and VEGF-driven tumor angiogenesis, potentially achieving additive anti-tumor activity compared to PD-1 blockade alone. The results are comparable to competing PD-1/VEGF bispecifics including ivonescimab (50% ORR in NSCLC) and pumitamig (47% ORR). The bispecific antibody class is emerging as a potential successor to PD-1 monotherapy in treatment-naive NSCLC, though Merck has been tight-lipped on Phase 3 plans for MK-2010.