Weitz & Luxenberg is encouraged by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announcement that it has approved Keytruda to treat malignant pleural mesothelioma. The news came out on September 17, 2024. Keytruda, pembrolizumab with pemetrexed, along with platinum chemotherapy are now the first-line treatment of metastatic malignant pleural mesothelioma. (1)
W&L believes this is great news. We are always on the lookout for more and better options to share with our clients who have developed mesothelioma. There is no cure for this aggressive cancer, but our hope is that our clients can live longer and enjoy a much better quality of life. And this new treatment should help.
About Keytruda Immunotherapy
Keytruda is an immunotherapy drug given by infusion. Immunotherapy drugs are intended to help your immune system check out your body for cancer cells and stop them in their tracks. They help your body fight off cancer. (2)
The FDA first approved Keytruda back in September of 2014 for treating certain cases of advanced melanoma. Since then, the FDA has approved Keytruda to treat a number of different types of cancer, including certain kinds of lung cancer, liver cancer, colorectal cancer, and breast cancer. (3)
As of June 17, 2024, the FDA approved Keytruda 40 times for different uses. The good news for patients is that Keytruda is a time-tested drug. Doctors and researchers are finding more and more ways to help people diagnosed with different types of cancer. (4)
What Does Keytruda Do?
Keytruda is a type of highly specialized immune checkpoint inhibitor. It is intended to help your immune checkpoints. Everyone has immune checkpoints in their body. These are proteins that help your immune system by telling the difference between your healthy cells and foreign invaders. (5)
Foreign invaders can be anything from harmful bacteria to viruses to cancer cells. Cancer cells can be tricky. They try to escape being detected by your immune system. (6)
Immune checkpoint inhibitors actually target your own immune checkpoints. They try to help your immune system recognize and attack cancer cells. (7)
One type of immune checkpoint we all have is called PD-1. PD-1 is located on our T cells. T cells are a critical part of our immune system. T cells roam throughout our body. They are always on the lookout for any signs of disease or infection. (8)
PD-L1 is another immune checkpoint. You can find it in many of our healthy cells. “When PD-1 binds to PD-L1, it stops T cells from killing a cell.” This may sound like a bad thing, but it’s a very good thing when it comes to cancer. The reason is some cancer cells also have a lot of PD-L1 on their surface. These cancer cells can move around, going undetected and doing a lot of damage. The cancer can hide in plain sight. (9)
Keytruda steps in and stops PD-1 from adhering to PD-L1. Now, the T cells can detect and attack the cancer cells. (10)
Mesothelioma Shortens Lives
Malignant pleural mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that often targets the tissue lining the lungs — the pleura. This cancer is strongly linked to asbestos exposure. Each year, roughly 3,000 Americans are diagnosed with this deadly disease. (11)
The sooner mesothelioma is diagnosed, the sooner treatment can now begin. However, once diagnosed, patients generally live just 4 to 18 months. The 5-year survival rate is only 10%. (12)
W&L Dedicated to Helping Mesothelioma Patients
Weitz & Luxenberg has been advocating for patients suffering from mesothelioma for nearly four decades. In the mid-1980s, we opened our doors for the first time. Our goal: to help as many people harmed from asbestos exposure, including in talcum powder, as possible.
Over the years, we have helped more than 55,000 patients and their families face some of the greatest challenges in their lives. Mesothelioma is one of the most aggressive cancers out there. Families shouldn’t have to go through this ordeal alone.
We have made it our mission to obtain justice and secure compensation for our clients stricken with asbestos. They and their families should be able to focus on their health and live the best quality of life possible.
Through our efforts, we have secured more than $8.5 billion dollars in settlements and verdicts and held the most horrible offenders accountable. Our clients diagnosed with asbestos exposure diseases such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis deserve no less.
We continue to dedicate our time and resources toward supporting our clients in every way possible. We won’t stop until there is a cure for these terrible diseases.
