The European Commission (EC) has granted marketing authorisation for MSD’s (Merck, Sharp & Dome Limited) Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for the first line treatment of metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in adults whose tumours have a high PD-L1 expression.

Pembrolizumab has been available across 95 UK-based centres since last March as a treatment of metastatic NSCLC in adults.

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MSD has confirmed that patients already accessing the therapy through EAMS will continue to receive treatment.

More than 46,000 new lung cancer cases were diagnosed in 2014 in the UK and the one year survival rate for metastasic lung cancer patients during that year was 17%.

MSD UK and Ireland managing director Louise Houson said: “The European Commission’s decision means suitable lung cancer patients with the PD-L1 biomarker can now benefit from pembrolizumab as both a first-line and second-line treatment option.

"More than 46,000 new lung cancer cases were diagnosed in 2014 in the UK and the one year survival rate for metastasic lung cancer patients during that year was 17%."

“Pembrolizumab was recommended by NICE as a second-line treatment option for patients with advanced lung cancer who failed on chemotherapy treatment last December, and we are proud that pembrolizumab can now benefit more patients earlier in their treatment pathway where the benefits are increased.

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The decision by EC was based on findings from a study known as KEYNOTE-024, which demonstrated that pembrolizumab reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 50%.

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust consultant medical oncologist professor Gary Middleton said: “This decision on pembrolizumab means clinicians who have identified metastatic NSCLC patients with the PD-L1 biomarker may now offer pembrolizumab sooner, giving these patients another valuable treatment option that has superiority to chemotherapy in clinical trials.”

The common treatment-related adverse events of any grade in Keynote-024 for pembrolizumab were diarrhoea, fatigue, pyrexia, nausea and decreased appetite.