Posted by Michael Wonder on 15 Mar 2017
FDA approves Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for adult and paediatric patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma refractory to treatment, or who have relapsed after three or more prior lines of therapy
14 March 2017 - Only anti-PD-1 therapy approved for the treatment of patients with difficult-to-treat classical Hodgkin's lymphoma regardless of prior stem cell transplantation or use of brentuximab vedotin.
Merck today announced that the U.S. FDA has approved Keytruda (pembrolizumab), the company’s anti-PD-1 (programmed death receptor-1) therapy, for the treatment of adult and paediatric patients with refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma, or who have relapsed after three or more prior lines of therapy. Under the FDA’s accelerated approval regulations, this indication is approved based on tumour response rate and durability of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials.
