See the DrugPatentWatch profile for keytruda

Keytruda, a drug developed by Merck & Co., initially focused on treating melanoma, a type of skin cancer. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Keytruda for the treatment of melanoma in September 2014 [1]. Keytruda, also known as pembrolizumab, is a type of immunotherapy that helps the body's immune system fight cancer [2].

Keytruda works by blocking a protein called PD-1, which is often used by cancer cells to evade the immune system [3]. By blocking PD-1, Keytruda enables the immune system to identify and destroy cancer cells [3].

In addition to melanoma, Keytruda has since been approved for the treatment of several other types of cancer, including non-small cell lung cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, classical Hodgkin lymphoma, urothelial carcinoma, and microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) cancer [1].

Sources:

[1] DrugPatentWatch.com. (n.d.). Keytruda (pembrolizumab) patents. Retrieved from <https://www.drugpatentwatch.com/drugs/keytruda>

[2] National Cancer Institute. (2021, March 26). Keytruda. Retrieved from <https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/drugs/keytruda>

[3] American Cancer Society. (2021, February 12). Pembrolizumab (Keytruda). Retrieved from <https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/treatment-types/immunotherapy/immunotherapy-pd-1-pd-l1-inhibitors.html>