LMighty wrote:One thing -- did you mean even though we can't get Tecentriq in Hong Kong, the combination of Keytruda with Cotellic is thought to produce similar result without Tecentriq?
Yes. Tecentriq (atezolizumab) is an anti PD-L1. The 'L' in the name PD-1 stands for the
Ligand in the tumour cells. Keytruda (pembrolizumab) is an anti PD-1.
PD-1 is on the T cells of the immune system, PD-L1 is on the tumor cells. So both drugs release the breaks of the immune system in a same pathway, but in different 'places'. They are not the same and probably some time from now we'll learn about the particularities but, right now, clinically, all the anti PD-1 and the anti PD -L1 have demonstrated similar results. Some are ahead in the 'race' because the pharmas started testing first one instead of other, or regarding one cancer or other.
You can read a better explanation here, and watch a video --it is about a type of lung cancer, because those drugs have been first tested for that:
http://cancergrace.org/lung/2016/04/20/ ... d-1_pd-l1/There are the approved ones, for different cancers --there are many more in trials, so one always can go to a trial for an equivalent:
Anti PD- 1: Keytruda (pembrolizumab) , Opdivo (nivolumab)
Anti PD- L1: Tecentriq (atezolizumab), Bavencio (avelumab), Imfinzi (durvalumab)