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A newly introduced injectable version of Keytruda promises to significantly reduce the time NHS patients spend in hospitals during cancer treatment. Keytruda, an immunotherapy drug used to combat various cancers, has traditionally been administered through an intravenous infusion that takes over an hour. However, the new formulation allows the treatment to be delivered in just a few minutes, which NHS England says will save valuable time for both patients and healthcare staff.
Since 2015, patients in the UK have received Keytruda via a drip, but the updated injection method is designed to streamline this process. Shirley Xerxes, 86, from St Albans, was among the first patients to benefit from the new approach at the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre near Watford. She noted the dramatic difference the change has made to her treatment routine: “I was in the chair for a matter of minutes instead of an hour or more.” Shirley added that the shorter treatment time has allowed her to spend more time on activities she enjoys, such as gardening.
Each year, approximately 14,000 individuals in England begin a course of treatment with Keytruda (also known as pembrolizumab). The drug is approved for use against 14 different cancer types, including lung, head and neck, cervical, and breast cancers. The new injectable form will be administered every three weeks as a one-minute injection or every six weeks as a two-minute injection, depending on the patient’s specific diagnosis.
Keytruda functions as an immunotherapy by enabling the body’s immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells more effectively. Cancer cells often evade detection by the immune system by producing proteins that send “stop signals” to immune cells, a mechanism sometimes described as an “invisibility cloak.” By blocking these signals, Keytruda helps expose the cancer cells for destruction. NHS England’s national clinical director for cancer, Professor Peter Johnson, highlighted the benefits of the quicker injection, saying, “Managing cancer treatment and regular hospital trips can be really exhausting. If we can do this in a much shorter period of time, it frees up space in our chemotherapy units and means we can start thinking about giving treatment in the community and away from hospitals.”
The cost of the new injection is not publicly disclosed due to a confidential deal between NHS England and the drug’s manufacturer, Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD), but it is believed to be priced similarly to the infusion form. Since its launch more than ten years ago, Keytruda has generated around $180 billion in sales worldwide and is considered one of the most successful medicines ever. Its patents will expire in 2028 in the US and 2031 in Europe, after which generic drug versions may enter the market. MSD emphasizes that the faster administration of Keytruda offers meaningful advantages for hospitals by freeing up time and resources, ultimately easing pressure on NHS services
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