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Chemotherapy+Pembrolizumab.
Chemotherapy kills rapidly dividing cancer cells while pembrolizumab blocks PD-1 to enhance immune recognition and destruction of remaining tumor cells.
Chemotherapy kills rapidly dividing cancer cells while pembrolizumab blocks PD-1 to enhance immune recognition and destruction of remaining tumor cells. Used for Advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, Other solid tumors (specific indications depend on chemotherapy backbone used).
At a glance
| Generic name | Chemotherapy+Pembrolizumab. |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Carbo-paclitaxel/ nab-paclitaxel |
| Sponsor | Tang-Du Hospital |
| Drug class | Chemotherapy + PD-1 inhibitor combination |
| Target | PD-1 (programmed death receptor 1); chemotherapy targets DNA |
| Modality | Small molecule |
| Therapeutic area | Oncology |
| Phase | FDA-approved |
Mechanism of action
This combination leverages two complementary approaches: cytotoxic chemotherapy directly damages cancer cell DNA and triggers cell death, while pembrolizumab, a PD-1 inhibitor, removes immune checkpoint inhibition to allow T cells to recognize and attack tumor cells. The chemotherapy-induced tumor cell death can also release tumor-associated antigens that prime immune responses, potentially synergizing with pembrolizumab's immunostimulatory effects.
Approved indications
- Advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer
- Other solid tumors (specific indications depend on chemotherapy backbone used)
Common side effects
- Fatigue
- Nausea and vomiting
- Myelosuppression (anemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia)
- Immune-related adverse events (pneumonitis, hepatitis, colitis)
- Infusion reactions
Key clinical trials
- Study BT8009-230 in Participants With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Urothelial Cancer (Duravelo-2) (PHASE2, PHASE3)
- A Study of Sacituzumab Tirumotecan (Sac-TMT, MK-2870) as Monotherapy and in Combination With Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) in Participants With Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (MK-2870-011/TroFuse-011) (PHASE3)
- A Clinical Study of Sacituzumab Tirumotecan (Sac-TMT, MK-2870) in People With Breast Cancer (MK-2870-032) (PHASE3)
- BLAST MRD AML-2: BLockade of PD-1 Added to Standard Therapy to Target Measurable Residual Disease in Acute Myeloid Leukemia 2- A Randomized Phase 2 Study of Anti-PD-1 Pembrolizumab in Combination With Azacitidine and Venetoclax as Frontline Therapy in Unfit Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia (PHASE2)
- Testing the Addition of an Anti-cancer Drug, Pembrolizumab, to the Usual Intravesical Chemotherapy Treatment (Gemcitabine) for the Treatment of BCG-Unresponsive Non-muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer (PHASE2)
- Testing the Addition of an Antiangiogenic Drug (Bevacizumab) to Chemotherapy (Carboplatin and Paclitaxel) Combined With Immunotherapy (Pembrolizumab) for pMMR, TP53 Mutated Endometrial Cancer (PHASE3)
- Testing the Addition of the Immunotherapy Drug, Pembrolizumab, to Radiation Therapy Compared to the Usual Chemotherapy Treatment During Radiation Therapy for Bladder Cancer, PARRC Trial (PHASE2)
- Measuring if Immunotherapy Plus Chemotherapy is Better Than Chemotherapy Alone for Patients With Aggressive Poorly Differentiated Sarcomas (PHASE3)
Primary sources
Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.
| Source | Used for |
|---|---|
| ClinicalTrials.gov | Trial enrolment, design, endpoints, results |
Competitive intelligence
For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:
- Chemotherapy+Pembrolizumab. CI brief — competitive landscape report
- Chemotherapy+Pembrolizumab. updates RSS · CI watch RSS
- Tang-Du Hospital portfolio CI