[CLSTR]
< Back to all clusters
[HEALTH] · South Korea · 4 sources

started · updated

MSD Korea to launch subcutaneous Keytruda in October

Keytruda subcutaneous MSD Korea Alteogen immunotherapy cancer treatment

한국MSD (MSD Korea) has announced the official launch of the subcutaneous (SC) formulation of the anti-PD-1 immunotherapy Keytruda in South Korea, with supply beginning on October 1. The new formulation is applicable to 35 indications across 18 types of cancer, including lung, gastric, and triple-negative breast cancer.

Utilizing Alteogen’s ‘berahyaluronidase alfa’ to enable large-volume administration, the SC version significantly reduces treatment time. While the standard intravenous (IV) dose takes approximately 30 minutes, the SC dose requires only about 1 minute (for 3-week intervals) or 2 minutes (for 6-week intervals), resulting in a 96.7% reduction in annual administration time.

Clinical studies support the transition. A Phase 3 study (MK-3475A-D77) confirmed the SC formulation's non-inferiority in drug exposure compared to the IV version, with a similar safety profile. Additionally, a Phase 2 crossover study showed that 65% of patients preferred the SC formulation due to shorter hospital stays and increased comfort. Observational data also indicated that the SC formulation reduces patient chair time by 50% and medical staff workload by 45.6%. The new formulation allows for cross-administration with the existing IV version.

Entities

Alteogen · Keytruda · Lee Hee-seung · MSD · South Korea

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Sources

한국MSD '키트루다 피하주사®', 10월 국내 공식 출시 - 메디칼허브 [www.healthmedia.co.kr]
한국MSD, ‘키트루다 피하주사’ 국내 출시…10월 1일 공급 - Health Issue&News [www.hin.company]
한국MSD, 항PD-1 면역항암제 ‘키트루다 피하주사’ 10월 국내 출시 [www.thebionews.net]
한국MSD, '키트루다 피하주사' 국내 출시… 항암 치료 패러다임 전환 [www.bokuennews.com]