A pre-prepared subcutaneous form of pembrolizumab (Keytruda) that can be given in about 60 seconds is being rolled out across the NHS, potentially benefiting tens of thousands of cancer patients. The ready-to-administer injection cuts treatment time by up to 90%, reducing time spent in hospital and freeing clinic capacity.
The new formulation can be used for 14 cancer types, including lung, breast, head and neck, and cervical cancers. Pembrolizumab blocks the PD-1 protein that limits immune responses, allowing the immune system to better recognise and attack cancer cells. Around 14,000 patients in England begin pembrolizumab each year, and most are expected to be able to receive the more convenient delivery method.
The subcutaneous injection replaces many intravenous infusions that can take up to two hours. Depending on the indication, it will be given every three weeks as a one-minute injection or every six weeks as a two-minute injection. Patients who are also receiving other therapies intravenously will continue with infusions where clinically appropriate.
One of the first UK recipients was 89-year-old Shirley Xerxes from St Albans, treated at Mount Vernon Cancer Centre. She welcomed the faster treatment, saying it reduced the time she spent in the chair from an hour or more to just a few minutes and gave her more time for daily activities such as gardening.
Switching to a pre-filled injection also removes the need for hospital pharmacy teams to prepare IV bags under specialist sterile conditions, saving staff time and increasing clinic throughput.
NHS leaders and cancer organisations welcomed the move. Professor Peter Johnson, NHS National Clinical Director for Cancer, said the faster jab will help patients spend less time in hospital and free up vital appointments so clinical teams can treat more people. Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting, who is a cancer survivor, noted that quicker, more convenient treatment supports recovery and helps clinicians care for more patients. James Richardson, National Specialty Advisor for Cancer Drugs at NHS England, described the change as an innovation that benefits both patients and clinical teams. John McNeill at MSD UK highlighted the practical benefits of the one- and two-minute dosing options compared with IV delivery. Michelle Mitchell, Chief Executive at Cancer Research UK, said making an established immunotherapy available as an injection will speed treatment delivery and ease pressure on NHS capacity, and urged continued focus on ensuring proven treatments reach patients quickly and fairly.
The rollout is part of efforts to modernise cancer care by improving convenience for patients and increasing capacity across NHS services.