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ABSTRACT
Introduction: Since 2010 multiple targeted therapies and immunotherapies have been approved for the treatment of advanced melanoma. Pembrolizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody directed against programed death receptor 1 has shown significant activity in advanced melanoma resulting in its approval first as post-ipilimumab and subsequently as frontline treatment.
Areas covered: This article reviews the approved agents for the treatment of advanced melanoma with a focus on the preclinical and clinical evidence for the use of pembrolizumab in this setting. Primary emphasis is given to the clinical development of pembrolizumab, including phase I-III trials. Finally, we explore the role of pembrolizumab in combination with other therapies and ongoing investigations into its effectiveness in expanded patient populations.
Expert opinion: Pembrolizumab provides durable responses and represents a major advancement in the treatment options for patients with advanced melanoma. Early studies of pembrolizumab in combination with other therapeutic agents have generated significant interest and further investigations including advanced clinical trials are warranted to evaluate safety and potential improved outcomes. Pembrolizumab and other immune checkpoint inhibitors are likely to play an expanded role in the treatment of advanced melanoma and other solid tumors over the next decade.
Declaration of interest
This work was supported in part by the Ann Melly Scholarship in Oncology (MC Burns) and a Public Health Service award T32 GM07347 from the National Institute of General Medical Studies for the Vanderbilt Medical-Scientist Training Program (MC Burns). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.