2 Information about pembrolizumab with axitinib
Marketing authorisation indication
2.1 Pembrolizumab (Keytruda, Merck Sharp & Dohme), in combination with axitinib (Inlyta, Pfizer), is indicated 'for the first-line treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in adults'.
Dosage in the marketing authorisation
2.2 The dosage schedule is available in the summary of product characteristics.
Price
2.3 The list price of pembrolizumab is £2,630 per 100-mg vial (excluding VAT; BNF online, assessed January 2020). The cost of a single administration is £5,260. This represents 3 weeks of treatment.
The list price of axitinib is £3,517 for 56 × 5-mg tablets (excluding VAT; BNF online, assessed January 2020). This represents about 28 days of treatment.
The companies have commercial arrangements for each of the drugs. These make pembrolizumab with axitinib available to the NHS with a discount and would have also applied to this indication if the technology had been recommended. The size of the discount is commercial in confidence. It is the company's responsibility to let relevant NHS organisations know details of the discount.