The European Medicines Agency’s (EMA’s) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has adopted a positive opinion recommending changes to the current indications and adding more indications for pembrolizumab (Keytruda).

On July 26, 2018, the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA’s) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) adopted a positive opinion recommending changes to the terms of the marketing authorization for the medicinal product pembrolizumab (Keytruda).

The marketing authorization holder for this medicinal product is Merck Sharp & Dohme BV.

The CHMP adopted the following additional indications:

• Keytruda, in combination with pemetrexed and platinum chemotherapy, is indicated for the first-line treatment of metastatic, non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in adults whose tumours have no EGFR or ALK positive mutations.
• Keytruda as monotherapy is indicated for the treatment of recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) in adults whose tumors express PD-L1 with a ≥50% tumor proportion score (TPS) and progressing on or after platinum-containing chemotherapy.

For information, the full indications for Keytruda will be as follows:

• Keytruda as monotherapy is indicated for the treatment of advanced (unresectable or metastatic) melanoma in adults.
• Keytruda as monotherapy is indicated for the first-line treatment of metastatic NSCLC in adults whose tumors express PD-L1 with a ≥50% TPS with no EGFR or ALK positive tumor mutations.
• Keytruda, in combination with pemetrexed and platinum chemotherapy, is indicated for the first-line treatment of metastatic non-squamous NSCLC in adults whose tumors have no EGFR or ALK positive mutations.
• Keytruda as monotherapy is indicated for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC in adults whose tumors express PD-L1 with a ≥1% TPS and who have received at least one prior chemotherapy regimen. Patients with EGFR- or ALK-positive tumor mutations should also have received targeted therapy before receiving Keytruda.
• Keytruda as monotherapy is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma who have failed autologous stem cell transplant and brentuximab vedotin (BV), or who are transplant-ineligible and have failed BV.
• Keytruda as monotherapy is indicated for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma in adults who have received prior platinum-containing chemotherapy.
• Keytruda as monotherapy is indicated for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma in adults who are not eligible for cisplatin-containing chemotherapy and whose tumors express PD-L1 with a combined positive score ≥10.
• Keytruda as monotherapy is indicated for the treatment of recurrent or metastatic HNSCC in adults whose tumors express PD-L1 with a ≥50% TPS and progressing on or after platinum-containing chemotherapy.

Detailed recommendations for the use of this product will be described in the updated summary of product characteristics, which will be published in the revised European public assessment report and will be available in all official European Union languages after a decision on this change to the marketing authorization has been granted by the European Commission.

Summaries of positive opinion are published without prejudice to the Commission decision, which will normally be issued 67 days from adoption of the opinion.