Product Name:
Keytruda (pembrolizumab)
Table of Contents
- Product Category
- Brand Name
- Generic Name or Biosimilar
- Active Ingredient
- Prescription Status
- Targeted Conditions
- Off-Label Usage
- Drug Classification Overview
- Manufacturer in the USA, Mexico, and Canada
- Available Strengths and Dosage Forms – United States, Mexico, and Canada
- Country Comparison – United States vs Mexico and Canada
- Average Retail Price (Monthly Treatment) USA vs Mexico vs Canada
- Where to Buy USA
- Storage Requirements
- Shipping from Canada
- Buying from Mexico
- Key Benefits
- Side Effects
- Warnings and Precautions
- Alternative Medications (by Indication)
- Medication FAQs
Keytruda (pembrolizumab)
Targeted Conditions
Keytruda is FDA-approved to treat a wide range of cancers, including:
Off-Label Usage
Keytruda may be used off-label in certain rare tumor types or as part of clinical trials when conventional therapies have failed. However, such uses require close supervision by an oncologist and institutional approval.
Drug Classification Overview
Keytruda is a monoclonal antibody classified as an anti-PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor. It works by blocking the PD-1 pathway, helping the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells. It is part of a new class of immunotherapies known as immune checkpoint inhibitors that have changed the standard of care for many cancer types.
Manufacturer in the USA, Mexico, and Canada
USA: Merck & Co., Inc.
Mexico: Merck Sharp & Dohme de México, S.A. de C.V.
Canada: Merck Canada Inc.
Available Strengths and Dosage Forms – United States, Mexico, and Canada
Country Comparison – United States vs Mexico and Canada
Average Retail Price (Monthly Treatment) USA vs Mexico vs Canada
Canada: ~30–40% savings compared to U.S. retail price
Mexico: ~25–35% savings compared to U.S. retail price
(Savings may vary depending on availability, controlled access, prescription requirements, and cold chain shipping.)
Where to Buy USA
Availability may vary depending on insurance plans, pharmacy networks, and oncology center access.
Storage Requirements
Shipping from Canada
This medication is accessed through fully licensed Canadian pharmacies regulated by Health Canada. All pharmacies included in the MedicalMex network undergo a rigorous review and verification process to ensure compliance with national standards, patient safety, and medication authenticity.
MedicalMex facilitates:
Buying from Mexico
This medication is also available through certified pharmacies in Mexico regulated by COFEPRIS (Mexico’s national health authority). All partners in the MedicalMex network must pass a rigorous review and certification process before being approved for patient access.
MedicalMex facilitates:
Key Benefits
Side Effects
Common side effects may include:
Serious risks may include:
All patients should be monitored by an oncologist familiar with immune checkpoint inhibitor management.
Warnings and Precautions
Alternative Medications (by Indication)
Opdivo (nivolumab)
Tecentriq (atezolizumab)
Imfinzi (durvalumab)
Yervoy (ipilimumab)
Targeted therapies (e.g., EGFR, ALK, BRAF inhibitors)
Chemotherapy
Radiation therapy
Clinical trials with novel immunotherapies
