BRIEF — New Keytruda recommendation for UK patients

Another group of UK cancer patients is set to receive access to the Merck & Co immuno-oncology drug Keytruda (pembrolizumab).

The National Institute of Care and Health Excellence (NICE) has issued guidance that recommends Keytruda’s usage within the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) as monotherapy for the adjuvant treatment of adults with stage III melanoma with lymph node involvement who have undergone complete resection.

Therapies are included in the CDF to ensure access for patients who would not otherwise be able to access an oncology drug. NICE considers that Keytruda could be suitable for routine funding in this group but wants to gather more data before making a final decision.

Currently, the standard of care for these patients is routine surveillance, or 'watch and wait'.