pembrolizumab + dabrafenib

**Pembrolizumab + dabrafenib** is a combination regimen of a monoclonal antibody checkpoint inhibitor (pembrolizumab) and a small molecule BRAF inhibitor (dabrafenib), primarily investigated in patients with BRAF V600-mutant advanced melanoma. Pembrolizumab is an anti–programmed death-1 (PD-1) antibody that activates the immune system by preventing PD-1-mediated inhibition of T-cell activity. Dabrafenib selectively inhibits BRAF kinase, especially the mutant BRAF V600E/K variants, thereby blocking aberrant MAPK pathway signaling and suppressing tumor cell proliferation. This combination is often studied together with trametinib (a MEK inhibitor), but some clinical trials investigate pembrolizumab + dabrafenib alone in BRAF-mutant melanoma[1][3][4][5]. The regimen leverages pembrolizumab’s durable immunotherapeutic activity with dabrafenib’s rapid tumor control through targeted therapy. The combination aims to improve progression-free survival and response durability, but toxicity (notably fever, rash, transaminase elevation) is higher compared to doublet targeted therapy[2][5]. Both agents are FDA approved for advanced melanoma, but the combination itself is not universally approved outside clinical trials[3].

Other names

pembrolizumab + dabrafenib