Last reviewed · How we verify
Rescue medications for chemotherapy
This drug works by inhibiting the activity of the PD-1 receptor, allowing the immune system to attack cancer cells.
This drug works by inhibiting the activity of the PD-1 receptor, allowing the immune system to attack cancer cells. Used for Non-small cell lung cancer, PD-L1 positive, Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, Urothelial carcinoma.
At a glance
| Generic name | Rescue medications for chemotherapy |
|---|---|
| Sponsor | Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC |
| Drug class | Immune checkpoint inhibitor |
| Target | PD-1 |
| Modality | Small molecule |
| Therapeutic area | Oncology |
| Phase | Phase 3 |
Mechanism of action
By blocking the PD-1 receptor, the drug prevents cancer cells from evading the immune system, allowing the body's natural defenses to recognize and destroy the cancer cells. This leads to an increase in the body's immune response against the cancer, ultimately resulting in the reduction of tumor size and slowing of cancer progression.
Approved indications
- Non-small cell lung cancer, PD-L1 positive
- Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
- Urothelial carcinoma
- Melanoma
- Renal cell carcinoma
- Colorectal cancer
- Gastric cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Cervical cancer
- Hepatocellular carcinoma
Common side effects
- Pneumonitis
- Pneumonia
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Rash
- Itching
- Pruritus
- Hypothyroidism
Key clinical trials
- 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)
- A Clinical Study of Raludotatug Deruxtecan in People With Ovarian Cancer (MK-5909-003) (PHASE1, PHASE2)
- A Study to Assess Efficacy and Safety of Pembrolizumab With or Without Sacituzumab Tirumotecan (MK- 2870) in Adult Participants With Resectable Non Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Not Achieving Pathological Complete Response (pCR) (MK-2870-019) (PHASE3)
- A Clinical Trial of Sac-TMT in People With Non-HRD Positive Advanced Ovarian Cancer (MK-2870-021) (PHASE3)
- A Clinical Study of Gocatamig (MK-6070) and Infinatamab Deruxtecan (MK-2400) in People With Small Cell Lung Cancer (MK-6070-003) (PHASE1, PHASE2)
- Study of Opevesostat (MK-5684) Versus Alternative NHA in mCRPC (MK-5684-003) (PHASE3)
- A Clinical Study of MK-1084 With Other Treatments for Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (MK-3475-01F) (PHASE1, PHASE2)
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:
- Rescue medications for chemotherapy CI brief — competitive landscape report
- Rescue medications for chemotherapy updates RSS · CI watch RSS
- Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC portfolio CI