CAR-T + Keytruda

**CAR-T + Keytruda** is a combination therapy pairing chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, typically targeting CD19 in hematologic malignancies, with pembrolizumab (Keytruda), a PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor. This approach aims to overcome CAR T-cell exhaustion and relapse by blocking the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway, promoting CAR T-cell reexpansion and persistence. Developed through investigator-initiated studies at institutions like the University of Pennsylvania and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, it shows promise in relapsed/refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), with overall response rates up to 25% in small cohorts and improved immune responses, though larger multicenter trials are ongoing to optimize timing and safety.[1]

Brand names

Keytruda

Other names

CAR-T + KeytrudaCAR-T + pembrolizumabCARKey