Since then, Theresa has been undetectable for over a year, and she continues treatment with Keytruda, with little to no side effects. Her family remains hopeful and grateful that everything is going well for Theresa and they pray for her continued strength.

Merck has now added a real doctor to its TV ad for Keytruda (pembrolizumab), the cancer immunotherapeutic. Two new ads – one featuring Dr. Goetz Kloecker, a practicing oncologist, alone and one featuring Dr.

Keytruda works by binding to PD-1 and therefore blocking the cancer cells from using their own protein to slot into the same spot and switch off the immune cells. So with Keytruda, the T-cells do their job and effectively attack the cancer. Keytruda is also known as an anti PD-1 immunotherapy.

Keytruda given every 3 weeks reduced the risk of cancer spreading, growing, or getting worse by 42% compared to Yervoy. Half (50%) of the patients who received Keytruda every 3 weeks were alive at 4.1 months, compared to 2.8 months for patients receiving Yervoy.

While Merck & Co has been responsible for Keytruda's commercial success, the drug was originally developed by a team of Dutch scientists now at Aduro Biotech, which develops immunotherapies for cancer and is also using its technology to target autoimmune and infectious diseases.

Sharon says she learned her type of lung cancer could be treated with an alternative to chemo. She tells how she was given only months to live but a year later after treatment she is still there with her family. The commercial is filmed in black and white which adds to the seriousness of the presentation.

Pembrolizumab (brand name: Keytruda) from Merck was first approved in September 2014 and since that time over 19 cancer uses have been approved by the FDA. It treats cancers ranging from advanced skin cancer, to bladder cancer to lung cancer.

KEYTRUDA is a prescription medicine used to treat a kind of cancer called triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). KEYTRUDA may be used with chemotherapy medicines when your breast cancer has returned and cannot be removed by surgery or has spread, and tests positive for “PD-L1.” PD-L1 = programmed death ligand 1.

How often you receive an infusion of KEYTRUDA will depend on the schedule you and your doctor choose. Some patients can stay on KEYTRUDA for up to a year or two. Your doctor will decide how long you will be on treatment. Always talk to your doctor about what to expect while taking KEYTRUDA.

The list price for each indicated dose of KEYTRUDA when given every 3 weeks is $11,115.04. The list price for each indicated dose of KEYTRUDA when given every 6 weeks is $22,230.08. * Most people will not pay the list price, although it may have an impact on your out-of-pocket costs.

Keytruda works by binding to PD-1 and therefore blocking the cancer cells from using their own protein to slot into the same spot and switch off the immune cells. So with Keytruda, the T-cells do their job and effectively attack the cancer. Keytruda is also known as an anti PD-1 immunotherapy.

KEYTRUDA is a type of immunotherapy that works by blocking the PD-1 pathway to help prevent cancer cells from hiding. KEYTRUDA helps the immune system do what it was meant to do: detect and fight cancer cells.