Merck and Eisai made their newly approved drug combination for advanced kidney cancer available to US oncology clinics this weekend, days after the Food and Drug Administration cleared the regimen for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma.

The FDA approval on September 26 expanded treatment options for the estimated 80,000 Americans diagnosed annually with advanced kidney cancer. The combination pairs Merck's immunotherapy Keytruda with Eisai's targeted therapy Lenvima, building on data from earlier clinical trials.

Merck said the approval reflected trial results showing improved outcomes for patients whose cancer had spread beyond the kidney. Eisai, which developed lenvatinib, will coordinate distribution and patient-access programmes alongside Merck's oncology sales network.

The launch intensifies competition in advanced kidney cancer treatment, where combination regimens have increasingly become the standard of care. Analysts covering both companies have noted that Keytruda, Merck's best-selling product, faces patent expiration pressures later this decade, making expanded indications commercially significant.

A Merck spokesperson said the company expected the regimen to reach cancer centres and community oncology practices in the coming weeks, with patient-support services available immediately to assist with insurance and reimbursement.