HealthAugust 24, 2026
pembrolizumab
PEM-bruh-LOO-zi-mab
Definition
A type of immunotherapy medication, marketed under the brand name Keytruda, used to treat various types of cancer by helping the immune system fight cancer cells.
Etymology
This is a generic name formed using standard pharmaceutical naming conventions; the suffix -mab indicates it is a monoclonal antibody, a type of laboratory-produced molecule designed to serve as a substitute antibody that can restore, enhance, or mimic the immune system's attack on cells.
In the news
The article cites pembrolizumab as a specific, high-cost cancer drug that has become unaffordable for many Iranian patients, illustrating the severe financial burden of modern medical treatments.
Spiraling health costs force Iranians to delay care
Read the full article ↗DW