| melanoma

Keytruda vs Yervoy

Side-by-side clinical, coverage, and cost comparison for melanoma.

Deep comparison between: Keytruda vs Yervoy with Prescriber.AI

AI compares prescribing info and payer-specific access barriers across 1,200+ formularies. Here's a preview of what prescribers are already asking.

Safety signalsYervoy has a higher rate of injection site reactions vs Keytruda based on FDA-approved prescribing information

Coverage gaps3 major payers require step therapy for Yervoy but not Keytruda, including UnitedHealthcare

Category

Keytruda

Yervoy

At A Glance

RouteIV infusion

FrequencyEvery 3 weeks or Every 6 weeks

ClassPD-1 inhibitor

RouteIV infusion

FrequencyEvery 3 weeks (monotherapy) or every 6 weeks (combination)

ClassCTLA-4 antagonist

Indications

melanoma
Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma
Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck
Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma
Mediastinal (Thymic) Large B-Cell Lymphoma
Urothelial Carcinoma
Colorectal Carcinoma
Stomach Carcinoma
Esophageal carcinoma
Cervix carcinoma
Liver carcinoma
Biliary Tract Cancer
Merkel cell carcinoma
Renal Cell Carcinoma
Endometrial Carcinoma
Triple-Negative Breast Carcinoma
Malignant neoplasm of ovary
Squamous cell carcinoma of skin

melanoma
Renal Cell Carcinoma
Colorectal Carcinoma
Liver carcinoma
Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma
Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
Squamous cell carcinoma of esophagus

Dosing

melanoma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV; 2 mg/kg (up to 200 mg) every 3 weeks IV for pediatrics

Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV

Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV

Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV

Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV for adults; 2 mg/kg (up to 200 mg) every 3 weeks IV for pediatrics

Mediastinal (Thymic) Large B-Cell Lymphoma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV for adults; 2 mg/kg (up to 200 mg) every 3 weeks IV for pediatrics

Urothelial Carcinoma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV

Colorectal Carcinoma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV for adults; 2 mg/kg (up to 200 mg) every 3 weeks IV for pediatrics

Stomach Carcinoma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV

Esophageal carcinoma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV

Cervix carcinoma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV

Liver carcinoma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV

Biliary Tract Cancer 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV

Merkel cell carcinoma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV for adults; 2 mg/kg (up to 200 mg) every 3 weeks IV for pediatrics

Renal Cell Carcinoma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV as single agent or in combination with axitinib 5 mg orally twice daily or lenvatinib 20 mg orally once daily

Endometrial Carcinoma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel, or with lenvatinib 20 mg orally once daily, or as single agent for MSI-H or dMMR tumors

Triple-Negative Breast Carcinoma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV

Malignant neoplasm of ovary 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV

Squamous cell carcinoma of skin 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV

Melanoma (unresectable or metastatic) 3 mg/kg IV every 3 weeks for 4 doses, or 3 mg/kg IV with nivolumab 1 mg/kg IV every 3 weeks for 4 doses followed by nivolumab monotherapy

Melanoma (adjuvant) 3 mg/kg IV every 3 weeks for 4 doses, then 3 mg/kg every 12 weeks for up to 4 additional doses

Renal Cell Carcinoma 1 mg/kg IV with nivolumab 3 mg/kg IV every 3 weeks for 4 doses, followed by nivolumab monotherapy

Colorectal Carcinoma 1 mg/kg IV with nivolumab 240 mg or 3 mg/kg IV (weight-based) every 3 weeks for 4 doses, followed by nivolumab monotherapy

Liver carcinoma 3 mg/kg IV with nivolumab 1 mg/kg IV every 3 weeks for up to 4 doses, followed by nivolumab monotherapy

Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma 1 mg/kg IV every 6 weeks with nivolumab 360 mg every 3 weeks, or with nivolumab and 2 cycles of platinum-doublet chemotherapy

Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma 1 mg/kg IV every 6 weeks with nivolumab 360 mg every 3 weeks

Squamous cell carcinoma of esophagus 1 mg/kg IV every 6 weeks with nivolumab 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks or 360 mg every 3 weeks

Contraindications

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Drug Interactions

189View drug interactions

677View drug interactions

Adverse Reactions

Most common (>=20%) fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, decreased appetite, rash, diarrhea, nausea, cough, dyspnea, constipation, pruritus, hypothyroidism

Serious pneumonitis, colitis, hepatitis, endocrinopathies, nephritis with renal dysfunction, dermatologic adverse reactions, myocarditis, neurological toxicities, infusion-related reactions, immune-mediated adverse reactions

Postmarketing exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, sclerosing cholangitis

Most common (>=20%) fatigue, diarrhea, rash, pruritus, nausea, pyrexia, musculoskeletal pain, decreased appetite, cough, headache, dyspnea, vomiting, abdominal pain, arthralgia

Serious immune-mediated colitis, hepatitis, pneumonitis, endocrinopathies, nephritis, dermatologic reactions, neurological toxicities, myocarditis, adrenal insufficiency, hypophysitis, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism

Pharmacology

Pembrolizumab is a PD-1 blocking antibody that releases PD-1 pathway-mediated inhibition of the immune response by preventing the interaction of PD-1 with its ligands PD-L1 and PD-L2, thereby restoring anti-tumor immune response.

Ipilimumab blocks CTLA-4, a negative regulator of T-cell activity, thereby augmenting T-cell activation and proliferation including tumor-infiltrating T-effector cells and reducing T-regulatory cell function.

View Full FDA Information

View full FDA information

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Most Common Insurance

Anthem BCBS

Keytruda