Pembrolizumab regimen extends OS in advanced malignant pleural mesothelioma
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The addition of pembrolizumab to chemotherapy significantly extended OS as first-line therapy for advanced malignant pleural mesothelioma, according to the agent’s manufacturer.
The Canadian Cancer Trials Group — in collaboration with National Cancer Institute of Naples and Intergroupe Francophone de Cancérologie Thoracique — conducted the randomized phase 2/phase 3 IND.227/KEYNOTE-483 trial to assess the addition of the anti-PD-1 therapy pembrolizumab (Keytruda, Merck) to chemotherapy for patients with unresectable advanced or metastatic pleural mesothelioma.
In the phase 3 portion, researchers randomly assigned 440 patients to pemetrexed and cisplatin with or without pembrolizumab dosed at 200 mg every 3 weeks for up to 35 cycles.
The trial met its primary endpoint, showing improved OS among pembrolizumab-treated patients.
Pembrolizumab exhibited a safety profile consistent with that observed in prior studies.
Complete results of the trial will be presented at a medical meeting, according to a Merck-issued press release.
“Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a rapidly progressing cancer that develops in the lining of the lungs and has a poor prognosis,” Eliav Barr, MD, senior vice president, head of global clinical development and chief medical officer for Merck Research Laboratories, said in the release. “Patients are in need of new treatments that can improve survival outcomes, and these positive results support the potential of Keytruda in combination with chemotherapy as a first-line treatment for patients with the most common form of malignant mesothelioma.”
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