pembrolizumab + placebo

Pembrolizumab + placebo refers to a combination regimen used in clinical trials where patients receive pembrolizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting the programmed death-1 (PD-1) receptor, alongside an inert substance (placebo) that has no therapeutic effect. Pembrolizumab is an immune checkpoint inhibitor that enhances the immune system's ability to detect and destroy cancer cells by blocking PD-1-mediated suppression of T-cell activity. The addition of placebo serves as a control arm in randomized studies to assess the efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab compared to standard treatments or other investigational regimens. Pembrolizumab is developed by Merck & Co and is approved for multiple cancers, including melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, classical Hodgkin lymphoma, urothelial carcinoma, cervical cancer, gastric cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, triple-negative breast cancer, esophageal cancer, colorectal cancer with microsatellite instability-high or mismatch repair deficiency status among others.

Brand names

Keytruda

Other names

pembrolizumabpembrolizumab + placebo