Merck, Eisai drug combo nabs FDA nod as first-line kidney cancer therapy August 12, 2021 Auto Bot BioPharma, Clinical Trials, Eisai, FDA, KEYTRUDA, kidney cancer, Legal, Lenvima, Merck, Pharma 0 FDA approval of a therapy that pairs drugs from Eisai and Merck allows the combination to become a first-line treatment for renal cell carcinoma. It’s the latest approval for the partners, which have been working together since 2018.