In the global fight against cancer, Argentina has emerged as an unexpected testing ground for a high-stakes battle over drug prices — one that is now drawing international attention.

At the center of the dispute is pembrolizumab, an immunotherapy widely regarded as one of the most advanced cancer treatments available today. 

Marketed globally by United States pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. (known as MSD outside the U.S. and Canada) under the brand name Keytruda, the drug has transformed outcomes for patients with cancers ranging from melanoma to lung and breast tumors.

Shielded behind a plethora of patents, the drug’s price is prohibitive for a majority of individuals. An unlikely legal gap in Argentina, however, opened the door for a local pharmaceutical company to start manufacturing a similar drug at a fraction of the price. 

The situation is being closely followed by many actors involved in the field, as the case has become emblematic of a growing global dilemma: how to balance innovation with access.

A breakthrough, at a price

Pembrolizumab has been hailed as a breakthrough in oncology since its appearance in 2014. Rather than attacking tumors directly, it works by reactivating the patient’s immune system, enabling it to detect and destroy cancer cells.

Its clinical impact has been significant. So has its commercial success.

Keytruda now accounts for nearly half of Merck/MSD’s global revenues. According to company reports, total sales over the past decade exceeded US$160 billion.

Yet the drug’s cost has placed it out of reach for many patients worldwide. 

In the U.S. a standard dose of Keytruda — 200 mg, usually taken every 3 weeks —- costs over US$12,000, according to Merck & Co.’s official list price. The price of a full treatment can reach more than US$200,000.

An investigation into Keytruda by the........

© Buenos Aires Herald