Merck has decided to abandon the development of its anti-TIGIT antibody vibostolimab and anti-LAG-3 antibody favezelimab, blowing a hole in its immuno-oncology pipeline.

For years, Merck & Co. has had an upper hand over its chief cancer drug competitor Bristol Myers Squibb. In March, however, Bristol Myers beat Merck to a notable milestone by winning U.S. approval of a first-of-its-kind cancer immunotherapy.