Nivolumab and Pembrolizumab: Monoclonal Antibodies Against Programmed Cell Death-1 (PD-1) that are Interchangeable

Publication date: Available online 13 July 2017
Source:Seminars in Oncology
Author(s): Vinay Prasad, Victoria Kaestner
Nivolumab (Opdivo®, Bristol Meyer Squibb) and pembrolizumab (Keytruda®, Merck) are the first two FDA approved monoclonal antibodies targeting programmed death-1 (PD-1). Nivolumab and pembrolizumab work by interfering with the interaction between (PD-1) and programmed death-ligand-1 (PD-L1), whose unimpeded interaction downregulates T-cells allowing cancer cells to evade immune surveillance.1-3 [Figure 1] These drugs have earned a series of US Food and Drug Administration US FDA) approvals for melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC), urothelial cancer, classical Hodgkin's lymphoma, and renal cell cancer. In this review we will summarize the data for efficacy and toxicity for these two agents. We will conclude they represent two valuable but interchangeable alternatives to target their approved indications. We will discuss how this can help global payers seeking to contain the cost of cancer therapeutics that continues to spiral out of control.



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