[Durgical](https://durgical.com/en/) › [DurgiPedia](https://durgical.com/en/durgipedia/) › [Pharmacology](https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/) › [Immune checkpoint inhibitors](https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/classes/immune-checkpoint-inhibitors/) › Cemiplimab

# Cemiplimab

## Immune checkpoint inhibitors?

Immune checkpoint inhibitors

## High alert?

An error with this medicine can cause serious harm: double checks and protocols are used.

An anti-PD-1 antibody for advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma after hedgehog inhibitors, and some lung cancers.

Updated Nov 1, 2026

Also called: cemiplimab-rwlc

## Quick facts

**Group**
[Immune checkpoint inhibitors](https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/classes/immune-checkpoint-inhibitors/)

**Target**
Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) on T cells

**Used for**
Locally advanced · Advanced basal cell carcinoma after

**Key effects**
Fatigue · Rash and itching · Diarrhoea

**Monitor**
Thyroid function · Glucose · Stool frequency

**ATC**
L01FF06

No doses: the clinician sets them by the current guideline.

On this page

- The basics Mechanism of action
- Indications
- Adverse effects
- Pharmacokinetics
- Memory aid

- Clinical What the labels mean

- Safety Contraindications
- Key interactions
- What is monitored
- Administration and safety
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Nursing care

- Study Test yourself

- Connections Connections

## Mechanism of action

◎**Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) on T cells**Cemiplimab

ⓘ The structure shows human PD-1 bound by cemiplimab.

**Target in 3D:** Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) on T cells. PDB structure 7WVM (RCSB PDB, public domain). [View the structure at RCSB PDB](https://www.rcsb.org/structure/7WVM) · Drag to rotate · pinch to zoom

Cemiplimab is a human IgG4 antibody that binds PD-1 and blocks its interaction with PD-L1 and PD-L2, releasing the brake on tumour-infiltrating T cells.

- Binds PD-1 on T cells
- PD-L1/PD-L2 binding is blocked
- Tumour-infiltrating T cells reactivate
- Tumour cells are attacked

## Indications

- Locally advanced or metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma not suitable for surgery or radiotherapy. [Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma →](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/cutaneous-squamous-cell-carcinoma/)
- Advanced basal cell carcinoma after, or when unable to take, a hedgehog pathway inhibitor. [Basal cell carcinoma →](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/basal-cell-carcinoma/)
- Non-small cell lung cancer with high PD-L1, alone or with platinum chemotherapy. [Lung cancer →](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/lung-cancer/)

## Adverse effects

### Common

- Fatigue
- Rash and itching
- Diarrhoea, nausea, decreased appetite
- Cough and breathlessness
- Muscle and joint pain
- Thyroid dysfunction

### Serious (rare, important)

- Immune-mediated pneumonitis
- Immune-mediated colitis
- Immune-mediated hepatitis
- Endocrinopathies: hypophysitis, thyroiditis, adrenal insufficiency, type 1 diabetes
- Immune-mediated nephritis
- Severe skin reactions
- Myocarditis, myositis and neurological reactions (myasthenia, Guillain-Barré syndrome)
- Infusion reactions

## Contraindications

- Previous severe immune-mediated reaction to a checkpoint inhibitor (generally not re-exposed)
- Caution: active autoimmune disease, organ or allogeneic stem-cell transplant

## Key interactions

**Systemic corticosteroids and other immunosuppressants**
Used to treat moderate to severe immune-mediated reactions; they damp the immune response.

## What is monitored

- Thyroid function (TSH) before starting and regularly
- Liver tests and creatinine before each dose
- Glucose; cortisol if fatigue or low blood pressure
- Stool frequency, cough and breathlessness at each visit
- Signs of myocarditis (chest pain, palpitations) and muscle weakness

## Administration and safety

- Intravenous infusion only, never as a push or bolus, through a line as the product instructions specify.
- Look-alike names: the -mab checkpoint inhibitors (nivolumab, pembrolizumab, atezolizumab, cemiplimab, ipilimumab) are checked by full name; products combined with hyaluronidase for subcutaneous use are not interchangeable with the intravenous ones.
- Watch for infusion reactions (chills, fever, rash, breathlessness) during the infusion.

## Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Blocking PD-1/PD-L1 or CTLA-4 can harm the fetus (IgG antibodies cross the placenta); effective contraception is used during treatment and for months after, and breastfeeding is avoided.

## Nursing care

- Before each dose, ask about diarrhoea, cough, rash, headache, fatigue, dizziness, thirst or passing more urine, and review thyroid, liver, kidney and glucose results.
- Teach the patient that side effects can start weeks or months after a dose, even after treatment ends, and must be reported early.
- Teaching: report diarrhoea or blood in the stool, new cough or breathlessness, yellow skin, severe headache, extreme tiredness, chest pain or muscle weakness at once.
- Make sure the patient carries information that they receive immunotherapy, for any emergency visit.

## Pharmacokinetics

**Absorption**
Intravenous infusion.

**Elimination**
Broken down like natural IgG.

## Memory aid

«CEMIplimab for the skin»: its first approvals were advanced cutaneous squamous and basal cell carcinoma.

## Test yourself

Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.

## Which skin cancer is the main indication of cemiplimab?

Advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

## Which other cancer is cemiplimab used for besides skin cancers?

Non-small cell lung cancer with high PD-L1, alone or with platinum chemotherapy.

## What is cemiplimab's target?

PD-1 on T cells.

[Add to my cards (3)](https://durgical.app/estudiar/?add=/en/pharmacology/cemiplimab/)

[More Pharmacology questions →](https://durgical.com/en/practice/?f=pharmacology)

## What the labels mean

**High alert**
An error with this medicine can cause serious harm: double checks and protocols are used.

## Connections

## Related drugs 2

- [Pembrolizumab](https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/pembrolizumab/)
- [Nivolumab](https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/nivolumab/)

## Related conditions 3

- [Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/cutaneous-squamous-cell-carcinoma/)
- [Basal cell carcinoma](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/basal-cell-carcinoma/)
- [Lung cancer](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/lung-cancer/)

[← Back to the class: Immune checkpoint inhibitors](https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/classes/immune-checkpoint-inhibitors/)

Educational content on how drugs work; not a prescribing guide and no substitute for a health professional's advice. No doses are given.

Sources: [Cemiplimab-rwlc Injection: MedlinePlus Drug Information](https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a618054.html) (MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine), 2023); [ATCDDD - ATC/DDD Index](https://atcddd.fhi.no/atc_ddd_index/?code=L01FF06) (WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology, 2026).

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Representative model, for educational purposes only.

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