FDA approves new indication for Keytruda (pembrolizumab)- Drug Information Update

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On June 12, 2018, the Food and Drug Administration approved pembrolizumab (Keytruda®, Merck and Co. Inc.) for patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer with disease progression on or after chemotherapy whose tumors express PD-L1 (CPS ≥1) as determined by an FDA-approved test.  The most common adverse reactions in at least 10% of patients with cervical cancer enrolled in KEYNOTE-158 were fatigue, pain, pyrexia, peripheral edema, musculoskeletal pain, diarrhea/colitis, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, constipation, decreased appetite, hemorrhage, UTI, infections, rash, hypothyroidism, headache, and dyspnea. Pembrolizumab was discontinued due to adverse reactions in 8% of patients. Serious adverse reactions occurred in 39% of patients. The most frequent serious adverse reactions reported included anemia (7%), fistula (4.1%), hemorrhage (4.1%), and infections (except UTIs) (4.1%).  For more information, please visit: Keytruda