title: Pembrolizumab: first global approval.
abstract: Pembrolizumab [Keytruda(®) (US)], a humanized monoclonal antibody against the programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) protein, has been developed by Merck & Co for the treatment of cancer. Pembrolizumab has received its first global approval for the treatment of advanced, unresectable or metastatic malignant melanoma in the US, for use in patients with disease progression after prior treatment with ipilimumab and, for BRAF V600 mutation-positive patients, a BRAF inhibitor. It is the first anti-PD-1 therapy to receive regulatory approval in the US, and is currently under regulatory review in the EU. This article summarizes the milestones in the development of pembrolizumab leading to this first approval for the treatment of malignant melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Springer, Private Bag 65901, Mairangi Bay 0754, Auckland, New Zealand. dru@adis.com.
authors.forename: Raewyn M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Poole
mesh_terms: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017277:Drug Approval; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000188:drug therapy; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C105992:PDCD1 protein, human; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor; C582435:pembrolizumab