Pembrolizumab (Keytruda)

Key Messages

• CADTH recommends that Keytruda be reimbursed by public drug plans for the treatment of adult patients with persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cervical cancer whose tumours express programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) (combined positive score [CPS] ≥ 1) as determined by a validated test, in combination with chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab if certain conditions are met.
• Keytruda should only be covered to treat adult patients with persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cervical cancer whose tumours express PD-L1 (CPS ≥ 1) are not amenable to curative treatment, who are in relatively good health (i.e., have a good performance status, as determined by a specialist), have not received prior systemic chemotherapy for metastatic or advanced cervical cancer, and are candidates for standard-of-care chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab.
• Keytruda should only be reimbursed if prescribed in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy, with or without bevacizumab, if given by a clinician who is experienced in chemoimmunotherapy administration, and if the cost of Keytruda is reduced.