KEYTRUDA funded for melanoma, new indications in process
MSD is pleased that PHARMAC has announced it will fund anti-PD1 immunotherapy medicine KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) for the
treatment of advanced melanoma that has spread through the body – effective from September 1.
Mr Paul Smith, MSD New Zealand Director, says, “We are delighted that this treatment will be available for advanced
melanoma patients who have gone from having no effective treatment to a choice of treatments and dosing schedules.
“This announcement is not just good news for advanced melanoma patients; it is great news for all New Zealanders.
Immunotherapy medicines are changing the face of cancer treatment worldwide and offer the biggest advancement since
chemotherapy. It is reassuring that PHARMAC has seen the value of these treatments.
“KEYTRUDA is now being studied across 30 tumour types with a view to establishing its benefits in treating other cancers
as well as melanoma. MSD is conducting 14 oncology trials in New Zealand across 26 sites around the country.
“In New Zealand, we are hoping to achieve a number of new KEYTRUDA registrations in the next couple of years. We expect
to see the first in the next few months, with potentially another four cancer therapy registrations in 2017 and another
six registrations in 2018.”
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