MSD’s – known as Merck & Co in the US and Canada – Keytruda (pembrolizumab) in combination with chemotherapy has been recommended by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) for advanced cervical cancer.
The decision, which makes Scotland the first in the UK to offer a new treatment option for this patient group, specifically applies to those with persistent, recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer whose tumours express programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) with a combined positive score of one and above.
Cervical cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide, according to the World Health Organization, with an estimated 604,000 new cases and 342,000 deaths in 2020. Although it is possible for individuals of all ages to develop the disease, it mainly affects those below the age of 50.
While the disease can be curable when detected early and effectively managed, treatment options are more limited in advanced stages.
“There are more diagnoses of advanced cervical cancer in areas of high deprivation and among people of working age. Until now there have been limited treatment options for these patients, creating a high unmet need,” said Stuart Robertson, head of devolved nations at MSD UK.
“MSD is delighted that the SMC will now enable patients in Scotland to access a new treatment option,” he added.
Keytruda is an anti PD-1 therapy that works by increasing the ability of the body’s immune system to help detect and fight tumour cells.
The SMC’s decision was supported by results from a phase 3 study in which the addition of Keytruda to chemotherapy was associated with a significant improvement in progression-free survival and overall survival in this patient population.
The drug was evaluated via the SMC’s Patient and Clinician Engagement (PACE) process, which is designated for palliative medicines or ones that treat rare conditions.
The recommendation comes just days after positive results were announced for Keytruda plus chemotherapy for patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial carcinoma, the most common type of uterine cancer.
The phase 3 NRG-GY018 trial met its primary endpoint, demonstrating that the combination therapy significantly improved progression-free survival as a first-line treatment versus standard of care chemotherapy alone.