pembrolizumab + trastuzumab emtansine

This combination therapy consists of pembrolizumab, a programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) blocking antibody, and trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1), a HER2-targeted antibody-drug conjugate. The regimen was evaluated in a Phase 1b clinical trial (NCT03032107) led by the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for the treatment of patients with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who had previously received taxane, trastuzumab, and pertuzumab. Pembrolizumab functions as an immune checkpoint inhibitor to enhance T-cell anti-tumor activity by blocking the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction. T-DM1 combines the HER2-targeting properties of trastuzumab with the cytotoxic microtubule inhibitor DM1 (mertansine), delivering the chemotherapy directly to HER2-expressing cancer cells. The combination aims to leverage both targeted cytotoxicity and immune system activation to overcome resistance in advanced breast cancer.

Brand names

Keytruda + Kadcyla

Other names

pembrolizumab + T-DM1