Jemperli (Dostarlimab)

What it is and what it treats

Dostarlimab is a humanised IgG4 monoclonal antibody that binds the PD-1 receptor on T-lymphocytes, blocking its interaction with the ligands PD-L1 and PD-L2. Many tumours exploit this pathway to suppress anti-tumour T-cell activity; by interrupting it, dostarlimab restores the capacity of the immune system to recognise and attack malignant cells.

Jemperli is authorised for adults with mismatch-repair-deficient (dMMR) or microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) recurrent or advanced endometrial cancer, and, in some jurisdictions, for other dMMR recurrent or advanced solid tumours that have progressed following prior treatment, as well as in combination with chemotherapy in primary advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer. Testing for dMMR/MSI-H status is a prerequisite for treatment, since these biomarkers identify tumours with a high mutational burden that are more likely to respond to checkpoint blockade.

Treatment decisions rest with a medical oncologist and are informed by biomarker testing, prior lines of therapy and overall clinical status. Jemperli is administered within oncology services equipped to recognise and manage immune-related adverse events, which can affect the skin, endocrine, gastrointestinal, hepatic, pulmonary and renal systems.

Presentations and dosage forms

• Concentrate for solution for infusion, 500 mg/10 mL single-use vial
• Requires dilution in an intravenous infusion bag prior to administration
• Supplied for use as monotherapy or in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel according to the approved regimen

How it is administered

The approved label describes dostarlimab as given by intravenous infusion over approximately 30 minutes, initially every three weeks for the first cycles, transitioning to a less frequent maintenance schedule of every six weeks thereafter, which is a distinguishing feature of the dosing regimen compared with some other checkpoint inhibitors.

When used in combination with chemotherapy for primary advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer, dostarlimab is given alongside carboplatin and paclitaxel for an induction phase before transitioning to maintenance monotherapy, following the sequence set out in the SmPC.

Treatment continues until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or completion of the treatment duration described in the label. Interruption or discontinuation is guided by the severity of any immune-related adverse reaction, often following corticosteroid-based management protocols described in the prescribing information.

Storage and handling

• Store unopened vials at 2–8 °C in the original carton, protected from light
• Do not freeze and do not shake
• After dilution, the infusion solution has defined stability windows at refrigerated and at room temperature as described in the SmPC
• Requires validated cold-chain transport with continuous temperature monitoring
• Discard any diluted solution beyond the stated in-use period

Side effects

The following adverse reactions are described in the approved EU SmPC and FDA prescribing information for dostarlimab.

Commonly reported

Serious effects requiring medical attention

Immune-related adverse events can occur at any point during or after treatment and may affect any organ system; new symptoms such as persistent cough, abdominal pain, jaundice, unusual fatigue or vision changes should be reported promptly. Suspected adverse reactions should also be reported through national pharmacovigilance schemes.

Jemperli compared with other PD-1 inhibitors

Dostarlimab shares its mechanism of action with other anti-PD-1 antibodies such as pembrolizumab and nivolumab, all of which block the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction to restore T-cell-mediated anti-tumour activity, and all of which carry a broadly similar profile of immune-mediated adverse reactions requiring comparable monitoring.

Jemperli's authorised indications are concentrated in dMMR/MSI-H endometrial cancer and dMMR solid tumours, reflecting the pivotal trial programme that supported its approval, whereas pembrolizumab holds a broader range of tumour-agnostic and tumour-specific indications across many cancer types. This means the choice of agent is often determined by the specific tumour type, biomarker status and existing approval pathway rather than by a meaningful difference in mechanism.

One practical distinction is dosing frequency: Jemperli's label describes a transition to six-weekly maintenance dosing after initial cycles, which can reduce the frequency of hospital visits compared with more frequent maintenance schedules used with some other checkpoint inhibitors, though this depends on the specific regimen and label in use in each country.

Availability and supply route

Registration of Jemperli and its approved indications varies by country, and the specific dMMR/MSI-H tumour types covered can differ between regulatory jurisdictions. Prescribers and procurement teams should confirm local authorisation status and companion diagnostic requirements with the relevant national medicines authority.

Where dostarlimab is not locally registered or supply is interrupted, hospitals may pursue named-patient or unlicensed-medicine import routes, in which a licensed wholesaler sources a specific, physician-prescribed product for an individual patient in compliance with the destination country's import regulations.

Pharmacy Remedy is a licensed Turkish pharmaceutical wholesaler supplying hospitals, clinics and licensed pharmacies through verified institutional channels, operating within wholesale distribution and named-patient supply regulations. It does not sell medicines directly to members of the public.

Frequently asked questions

Primary sources

• EMA — Jemperli EPAR
• FDA — Jemperli prescribing information
• WHO — Model List of Essential Medicines

Further reading and regulatory routes

• Which country Jemperli is sourced from, and why prices differ
• How to verify a medicine is genuine
• Why medicines cost less in Türkiye
• WHO falsified medicine alerts
• Named patient supply
• UAE import guide
• For healthcare professionals
• All medicine monographs

Related medicines

• Keytruda (pembrolizumab)
• Opdivo (nivolumab)
• Padcev (enfortumab vedotin)