NHS rolls out 1-minute cancer immunotherapy jab for thousands of patients

Thousands of cancer patients in England will benefit from a major NHS treatment upgrade as a new injectable form of the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab begins rolling out nationwide

Pembrolizumab, commonly known as Keytruda, can now be administered in as little as 1 minute, instead of the lengthy intravenous infusions previously required.

By making the process quicker, it is expected to significantly improve the patient experience while also helping the NHS increase capacity in busy cancer treatment units.

Pembrolizumab is currently used to treat 14 different types of cancer, including lung, breast, cervical, and head and neck cancers. Around 14,000 patients start treatment with the drug every year in England, and most are expected to move to the faster injectable version.

Cutting hours down to minutes

Until now, patients receiving pembrolizumab typically attended the hospital for intravenous infusions that could take up to two hours from preparation to completion.

The new under-the-skin injection reduces this dramatically, with treatment delivered in either a one-minute jab every three weeks or a two-minute jab every six weeks, depending on the patient’s treatment plan.

The switch is expected to reduce the burden on patients who already face frequent hospital visits during cancer treatment. Shorter appointments also mean less waiting time and more flexibility for people balancing treatment with work, family life, or recovery at home.

For older patients and those travelling long distances to specialist cancer centres, the shorter treatment time could make a particularly meaningful difference.

Helping the NHS manage growing demand

The rollout is also designed to ease pressure on NHS cancer services. Intravenous immunotherapy requires pharmacy teams to prepare treatment bags in sterile conditions, a process that can be time-consuming and resource-intensive.

The ready-to-use injection removes much of this preparation work and frees up treatment chairs and staff time. NHS leaders believe this will allow hospitals to treat more patients and help reduce waiting times for cancer care.

Cancer specialists say the move represents an important step in modernising treatment delivery while maintaining the same clinical benefits for patients.

How the drug works

Pembrolizumab is an immunotherapy drug that helps the body’s immune system identify and attack cancer cells. It works by blocking PD-1, a protein that normally acts as a brake on immune responses. By removing this brake, immune cells are better able to recognise and destroy cancer.

The drug has become one of the most widely used immunotherapies worldwide and is already a standard treatment option for many advanced cancers.

Some patients who receive pembrolizumab alongside other intravenous treatments may still continue with infusions where clinically necessary, but the majority are expected to move to the quicker injection format.

Faster cancer care

The introduction of the rapid jab comes as the government and NHS continue efforts to improve cancer treatment times and expand access to innovative therapies.

Health leaders say new approaches like this are essential as cancer services face rising demand and increasing pressure on staff and hospital resources. By reducing treatment times from hours to minutes, the NHS hopes to improve both patient quality of life and overall efficiency across cancer care services.

The rollout is already being welcomed as a practical innovation that combines convenience, modern medicine, and improved NHS productivity in a single treatment change.