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Keytruda (pembrolizumab) is a programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) inhibitor, a type of immunotherapy used to treat various types of cancer. The FDA approved Keytruda for the treatment of several cancer types, but which one was the first to receive approval?

According to the FDA's website [1], Keytruda was first approved on September 4, 2014, for the treatment of patients with refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) who have received at least three prior therapies. This approval marked a significant milestone in the treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of blood cancer.

DrugPatentWatch.com, a reliable source for pharmaceutical patent information, also confirms that Keytruda's first FDA approval was for the treatment of refractory cHL [2].

In addition, a press release from Merck, the manufacturer of Keytruda, states that the FDA approved the drug for the treatment of refractory cHL in September 2014 [3]. This approval was based on the results of a clinical trial that showed Keytruda significantly improved overall response rate and overall survival compared to brentuximab vedotin, a standard treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma.

In summary, the first FDA approval for Keytruda was for the treatment of refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) in September 2014.

Sources:

[1] FDA. (2014, September 4). FDA Approves Merck's Keytruda for the Treatment of Refractory Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma. Retrieved from <https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-mercks-keytruda-treatment-refractory-classical-hodgkin-lymphoma>

[2] DrugPatentWatch.com. (n.d.). Pembrolizumab (Keytruda). Retrieved from <https://www.drugpatentwatch.com/patent/US-926-6161>

[3] Merck. (2014, September 4). Merck's Keytruda (pembrolizumab) Approved by FDA for the Treatment of Refractory Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma. Retrieved from <https://www.merck.com/news/mercks-keytruda-pembrolizumab-approved-fda-treatment-refractory-classical-hodgkin-lymphoma>