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Keytruda FDA Approval History

Last updated by Judith Stewart, BPharm on June 16, 2025.

FDA Approved: Yes (First approved September 4, 2014)
Brand name: Keytruda
Generic name: pembrolizumab
Dosage form: for Injection
Company: Merck
Treatment for: Melanoma, Metastatic, Non Small Cell Lung Cancer, Head and Neck Cancer, Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Urothelial Carcinoma, Gastric Cancer, Cervical Cancer, Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Merkel Cell Carcinoma, Renal Cell Carcinoma, Esophageal Carcinoma, Endometrial Cancer, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Breast Cancer, Biliary Tract Tumor, Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) is a human PD-1 (programmed death receptor-1)-blocking antibody used to treat multiple types of cancer.

  • Keytruda is indicated to treat multiple types of cancer, including:
    • Melanoma
    • Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
    • Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
    • Head and Neck Squamous Cell Cancer
    • Lymphoma - Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma; Primary Mediastinal Large B-Cell Lymphoma
    • Urothelial Cancer
    • Solid Tumors - Microsatellite Instability-High or Mismatch Repair Deficient
    • Colorectal Cancer - Microsatellite Instability-High or Mismatch Repair Deficient 
    • Gastric Cancer
    • Esophageal Cancer
    • Cervical Cancer
    • Hepatocellular Carcinoma
    • Biliary Tract Cancer
    • Merkel Cell Carcinoma
    • Renal Cell Carcinoma
    • Endometrial Carcinoma
    • Tumor Mutational Burden-High Cancer
    • Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma
    • Triple-Negative Breast Cancer


Development timeline for Keytruda

DateArticle
Jun 13, 2025Approval FDA Approves Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for PD-L1+ Resectable Locally Advanced Head & Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma as Neoadjuvant Treatment, Continued as Adjuvant Treatment Combined With Radiotherapy
Mar 19, 2025Approval FDA Approves Pembrolizumab for HER2 Positive Gastric or Gastroesophageal Junction Adenocarcinoma Expressing PD-L1 (CPS ≥1)
Sep 18, 2024Approval FDA Approves Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) Plus Pemetrexed and Platinum Chemotherapy as First-Line Treatment for Adult Patients With Unresectable Advanced or Metastatic Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MPM)
Jul  9, 2024Approval for the First Dose Cohort in Phase 1a/b Clinical Trial of PMC-309 in Patients with Advanced or Metastatic Solid Tumors
Jun 17, 2024Approval FDA Approves Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) Plus Carboplatin and Paclitaxel as Treatment for Adult Patients With Primary Advanced or Recurrent Endometrial Carcinoma
Jan 12, 2024Approval FDA Approves Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) Plus Chemoradiotherapy as Treatment for Patients With FIGO 2014 Stage III-IVA Cervical Cancer
Dec 15, 2023Approval Padcev (enfortumab vedotin-ejfv) with Keytruda (pembrolizumab) Approved by FDA as the First and Only ADC Plus PD-1 to Treat Advanced Bladder Cancer
Nov 16, 2023Approval FDA Approves Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) Plus Chemotherapy as First-Line Treatment for Locally Advanced Unresectable or Metastatic HER2-Negative Gastric or Gastroesophageal Junction (GEJ) Adenocarcinoma
Nov  1, 2023Approval FDA Approves Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) Plus Gemcitabine and Cisplatin as Treatment for Patients With Locally Advanced Unresectable or Metastatic Biliary Tract Cancer
Oct 16, 2023Approval FDA Approves Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Treatment of Patients With Resectable NSCLC in Combination With Chemotherapy as Neoadjuvant Treatment, Then Single Agent as Adjuvant Treatment After Surgery
Aug  7, 2023Anixa Biosciences Announces Opening of Enrollment for Keytruda Arm in Ongoing Breast Cancer Vaccine Clinical Trial
Aug  4, 2023Retevmo Demonstrates Superior Progression-Free Survival for Adults with Newly-Diagnosed Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Apr  3, 2023Approval FDA Approves Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) in Combination With Padcev (enfortumab vedotin-ejfv) for First-Line Treatment of Certain Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Urothelial Cancer
Mar 29, 2023Approval FDA Converts to Full Approval Indication for Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Certain Adult and Pediatric Patients With Advanced Microsatellite Instability-High (MSI-H) or Mismatch Repair Deficient (dMMR) Solid Tumors
Mar 22, 2023Jacobio announces clinical collaboration to evaluate CD73 monoclonal antibody JAB-BX102 in combination with KEYTRUDA for patients with cancer
Feb  7, 2023Wellmarker Bio Announces Clinical Trial Collaboration with MSD to evaluate WM-A1-3389 in combination with KEYTRUDA
Jan 27, 2023Approval FDA Approves Keytruda (pembrolizumab) as Adjuvant Treatment Following Surgical Resection and Platinum-Based Chemotherapy for Patients With Stage IB (T2a ≥4 Centimeters), II, or IIIA Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
Dec 27, 2022Antengene Enters into a Global Clinical Collaboration with MSD to Evaluate ATG-037 (CD73 Inhibitor) in Combination with KEYTRUDA
Oct 18, 2022Lack of global regulatory coordination for cancer clinical trials costs 1.5 million lives a year despite therapies being available
Sep 12, 2022Astellas, Seagen and Merck Announce Results of Clinical Trial Investigating Padcev With Keytruda and Padcev as Monotherapy in First-Line Advanced Urothelial Cancer
Mar 21, 2022Approval FDA Approves Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Patients With MSI‑H/dMMR Advanced Endometrial Carcinoma, Who Have Disease Progression Following Prior Systemic Therapy in Any Setting and Are Not Candidates for Curative Surgery or Radiation
Nov 18, 2021Approval FDA Approves Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) as Adjuvant Therapy for Certain Patients With Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) Following Surgery
Oct 13, 2021Approval FDA Approves Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) Plus Chemotherapy, With or Without Bevacizumab, as Treatment for Patients With Persistent, Recurrent or Metastatic Cervical Cancer Whose Tumors Express PD-L1 (CPS ≥1)
Aug 11, 2021Approval FDA Approves Keytruda (pembrolizumab) Plus Lenvima (lenvatinib) Combination for First-Line Treatment of Adult Patients With Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC)
Jul 27, 2021Approval FDA Approves Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Treatment of Patients With High-Risk Early-Stage Triple-Negative Breast Cancer in Combination With Chemotherapy as Neoadjuvant Treatment, Then Continued as Single Agent as Adjuvant Treatment After Surgery
Jul 22, 2021Approval FDA Approves Keytruda (pembrolizumab) Plus Lenvima (lenvatinib) Combination for Patients With Certain Types of Advanced Endometrial Carcinoma
Jul  6, 2021Approval FDA Approves Expanded Indication for Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) in Locally Advanced Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma (cSCC)
Jul  1, 2021Merck Provides Update on Keytruda (pembrolizumab) Indication in Third-Line Gastric Cancer in the US
May  5, 2021Approval FDA Approves Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) Combined With Trastuzumab and Chemotherapy as First-line Treatment in Locally Advanced Unresectable or Metastatic HER2-Positive Gastric or Gastroesophageal Junction Adenocarcinoma
Mar 23, 2021Approval FDA Approves Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) Plus Platinum- and Fluoropyrimidine-Based Chemotherapy for Treatment of Certain Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Esophageal or Gastroesophageal Junction (GEJ) Carcinoma
Mar  1, 2021Merck Provides Update on Keytruda (pembrolizumab) Indication in Metastatic Small Cell Lung Cancer in the US
Nov 13, 2020Approval FDA Approves Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) in Combination With Chemotherapy for Patients With Locally Recurrent Unresectable or Metastatic Triple‑Negative Breast Cancer Whose Tumors Express PD-L1 (CPS ≥10)
Oct 15, 2020Approval FDA Approves Expanded Indication for Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) in Adult Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma (cHL)
Jun 29, 2020Approval FDA Approves Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for First-Line Treatment of Patients With Unresectable or Metastatic MSI-H or dMMR Colorectal Cancer
Jun 24, 2020Approval FDA Approves Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for the Treatment of Patients with Recurrent or Metastatic Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma (cSCC) that is Not Curable by Surgery or Radiation
Jun 17, 2020Approval FDA Approves Second Biomarker-Based Indication for Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab), Regardless of Tumor Type
Apr 28, 2020Approval FDA Approves Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Use at an Additional Recommended Dose of 400 mg Every Six Weeks for All Approved Adult Indications
Jan  8, 2020Approval FDA Approves Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Patients With BCG-Unresponsive, High-Risk, Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer
Sep 17, 2019Approval FDA Approves Keytruda (pembrolizumab) plus Lenvima (lenvatinib) Combination Treatment for Patients with Certain Types of Endometrial Carcinoma
Jul 31, 2019Approval FDA Approves Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Recurrent Locally Advanced or Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Esophagus
Jun 18, 2019Approval FDA Approves Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for the Treatment of Metastatic Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC)
Jun 11, 2019Approval FDA Approves Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for First-Line Treatment of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Apr 22, 2019Approval FDA Approves Keytruda (pembrolizumab) in Combination With Inlyta (axitinib) as First-Line Treatment for Patients With Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC)
Apr 11, 2019Approval FDA Approves Expanded Monotherapy Label for Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for First-Line Treatment of NSCLC
Feb 19, 2019Approval FDA Approves Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for the Adjuvant Treatment of Patients with Melanoma with Involvement of Lymph Node(s) Following Complete Resection
Dec 19, 2018Approval FDA Approves Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for the Treatment of Patients with Recurrent Locally Advanced or Metastatic Merkel Cell Carcinoma
Nov  9, 2018Approval FDA Approves Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for the Treatment of Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) Who Have Been Previously Treated with Sorafenib
Oct 30, 2018Approval FDA Approves Keytruda (pembrolizumab) in Combination with Carboplatin and Either Paclitaxel or Nab-Paclitaxel for the First-Line Treatment of Patients with Metastatic Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
Aug 21, 2018Approval FDA Approves Expanded Label for Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) in Patients with Metastatic Nonsquamous NSCLC with No EGFR or ALK Genomic Tumor Aberrations
Jun 13, 2018Approval FDA Approves Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Treatment of Refractory or Relapsed Primary Mediastinal Large B-Cell Lymphoma (PMBCL)
Jun 12, 2018Approval FDA Approves Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Previously Treated Patients with Recurrent or Metastatic Cervical Cancer Whose Tumors Express PD-L1
Sep 22, 2017Approval FDA Approves Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Previously Treated Patients with Recurrent Locally Advanced or Metastatic Gastric or Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer Whose Tumors Express PD-L1
May 23, 2017Approval FDA Approves Keytruda (pembrolizumab) as First Cancer Treatment for any Solid Tumor with a Specific Genetic Feature
May 18, 2017Approval FDA Approves Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Certain Patients with Locally Advanced or Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma
May 10, 2017Approval FDA Approves Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) as First-Line Combination Therapy for Patients with Metastatic Nonsquamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), Irrespective of PD-L1 Expression
Mar 15, 2017Approval FDA Approves Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma (cHL)
Oct 24, 2016Approval FDA Approves Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for First-Line Treatment of Certain Patients with Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Aug  5, 2016Approval FDA Approves Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Patients with Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Dec 18, 2015Approval FDA Approves Expanded Indication for Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for the Treatment of Patients with Advanced Melanoma
Oct  2, 2015Approval FDA Approves Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Sep  4, 2014Approval FDA Approves Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for Advanced Melanoma
Sep  2, 2014Merck to Present New Data in Five Tumor Types from Studies Evaluating Pembrolizumab
Jun 30, 2014Merck’s Investigational Anti-PD-1 Antibody, Pembrolizumab, Under Regulatory Review in Europe for Advanced Melanoma

See also

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) Consumer information

Further information

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