Inhibrx said its OX40 agonist paired with Merck’s Keytruda doubled response rates in a midphase clinical trial, encouraging advancement of the combination program. The early data arrive amid ongoing M&A and pipeline attention around immune-oncology assets, with the company noting the program reportedly drew Merck interest. For investors and trial planners, the update highlights a tactical approach: pairing checkpoint blockade with a second immune-activation axis to try to deepen response rates.