LAUSR

BACKGROUND Treatment of various types of cancer has been improved significantly with the discovery of biologic drugs that act as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Pembrolizumab is a humanized monoclonal anti-PD-1 antibody currently approved for the treatment of a wide range of tumors, with more indications still being investigated in ongoing clinical trials. OBJECTIVE The aim of this paper is to present all currently available data regarding pembrolizumab pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics. Also, the possibility of using predicative biomarkers to monitor patients during cancer treatment is discussed. METHODS Database research was carried out (PubMed, ScienceDirect). Information was gathered from original articles, the European Medicines Agency datasheets and results from clinical trials. RESULTS This review summarizes present-day knowledge about the pharmacokinetics, different modeling approaches and dosage regimens, efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab and therapeutic monitoring of disease progression. CONCLUSION This review points out consistent pharmacokinetic characteristics of pembrolizumab in various cancer patients, the lack of pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic/outcome relationships, the need of adequate biomarkers predicting treatment success. Hence, there is a clear necessity for more data and experience in order to optimize pembrolizumab treatment for each individual patient.