Keytruda (Pembrolizumab)
pembrolizumab 100 mg/4 mL injection, 4 mL vial · INJECTION · PBS code 12605K
AUTHORITY_REQUIREDWhat it costs
AU$3632.56 PBS-determined price per pack
Most patients pay only the standard PBS co-payment, not the full price above — up to AU$25.00 per script (general) or AU$7.70 (concession/Safety Net) in 2026. The figure above is what the PBS pays the pharmacy; the Australian Government subsidises the rest. Always confirm the current amount with your pharmacist.
- • First listed on the PBS: 2021-08-01.
- • Repeats: 6.
- • PBS program: IN.
Eligibility criteria for subsidised access
The following is the government's own wording from the PBS Schedule, shown unchanged.
Listing of Pharmaceutical Benefits (NHL) - Schedule 4 part 1
Unresectable or metastatic deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) colorectal cancer
Initial treatment
Patient must be untreated for this PBS indication (i.e untreated for each of: (i) unresectable disease, (ii) metastatic disease); AND
Patient must not have received prior treatment for colorectal cancer with each of: (i) a programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) inhibitor, (ii) a programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) inhibitor; AND
Patient must have a WHO performance status of 0 or 1; AND
Patient must have deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) colorectal cancer, as determined by immunohistochemistry test; AND
Patient must be undergoing treatment with this drug administered once every 3 weeks - prescribe up to 6 repeat prescriptions; or
Patient must be undergoing treatment with this drug administered once every 6 weeks - prescribe up to 3 repeat prescriptions.
Listing of Pharmaceutical Benefits (NHL) - Schedule 4 part 1
Unresectable or metastatic deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) colorectal cancer
Continuing treatment
Patient must have previously received PBS-subsidised treatment with this drug for this condition; AND
Patient must not have progressive disease while receiving PBS-subsidised treatment with this drug for this condition; AND
Patient must be undergoing treatment with this drug administered once every 3 weeks - prescribe up to 6 repeat prescriptions; or
Patient must be undergoing treatment with this drug administered once every 6 weeks - prescribe up to 3 repeat prescriptions; AND
Patient must not be undergoing continuing PBS-subsidised treatment where this benefit is extending treatment beyond 24 cumulative months from the first administered dose, once in a lifetime.
Sponsor: Merck Sharp & Dohme (Australia) Pty Ltd ABN 14 000 173 508
Not medical advice. Voxsanity republishes public PBS data in plain English. PBS listing status and criteria can change; always confirm current subsidised availability with your doctor or pharmacist.
Source: Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), © Commonwealth of Australia. Data used and redistributed under permission; not modified from its original wording where displayed verbatim.