Dr. Finn on Studies of Pembrolizumab for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Richard Finn, MD, associate professor of Medicine at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, discusses studies of pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in patients with previously untreated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Pembrolizumab, a PD-1 antibody, has moved into the second-line setting in HCC, states Finn. There are 2 ongoing studies, the first being a single-arm phase II study of pembrolizumab intravenously every 3 weeks for patients who had progressed or were intolerant of sorafenib (Nexavar). This is a global study that is aimed at collecting single-agent efficacy and safety data.

The second ongoing trial is a randomized global phase III study, which is focused on pembrolizumab versus placebo in a 2:1 randomization for patients who progressed or were intolerant of sorafenib. This is aimed to prove that anti PD-1 therapy in advanced liver cancer in the second-line setting will improve survival.