Yervoy (Ipilimumab) for Lung Cancer

Overview
Yervoy is a prescription drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat metastatic non-small cell lung cancer with tumors that express the protein PD-L1. Yervoy is prescribed in combination with Opdivo (nivolumab). Yervoy is also referred to by its drug name, ipilimumab.

Yervoy is a member of a class of drugs called monoclonal antibodies. Yervoy is believed to work by binding to cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4, an inhibitory receptor on the body’s immune cells. This binding prevents the inhibition of the body’s immune cells, allowing them to effectively identify and destroy cancer cells.

How do I take it?
Prescribing information states that Yervoy is given as an IV injection (into your vein) by a health care professional. Yervoy is usually given in a health clinic or doctor’s office once every three weeks. It should be administered according to the frequency specified by the physician.

Yervoy is available only as an IV injection.

Side effects
The FDA-approved label for Yervoy lists common side effects including fatigue, diarrhea, itching, rash, nausea, vomiting, headache, weight loss, fever, decreased appetite, and insomnia.

Rare but serious side effects listed for Yervoy include fetal harm, immune-mediated adverse reactions, and infusion reactions.

For more details about this treatment, visit:

Yervoy (ipilimumab) — Bristol Myers Squibb
https://www.yervoy.com

Ipilimumab (Intravenous Route) — Mayo Clinic
https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/ip...