The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new version of atezolizumab, called Tecentriq Hybreza, that can be given quickly as a subcutaneous (under the skin) injection. The drug is for people with advanced melanoma that tests positive for the BRAF V600 mutation, and it’s given in combination with the targeted therapies cobimetinib and vemurafenib. This injection takes about seven minutes, a time-saving alternative to IV treatment, which often requires going to a special infusion center and spending up to an hour connected to an IV drip.

Tecentriq Hybreza includes two main components. One is atezolizumab, an immunotherapy drug that blocks the PD-L1 protein to help the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells. The other is hyaluronidase, which helps the drug spread into the body more quickly.

The FDA approval of this quick-inject option is based on a study that showed it works just as well as the IV version, with comparable response rates and survival. The most common side effects include fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, cough, breathing difficulties, and decreased appetite.

A More Convenient Treatment Option for Melanoma

Tecentriq Hybreza is the first anti-PD-L1 cancer immunotherapy offered as an injection. For people with melanoma, an injectable may be more convenient than IV immunotherapy, reducing the time and effort involved in receiving treatment at an infusion center.

If you’re living with melanoma and your current treatment plan isn’t meeting your goals or is causing difficult side effects, talk to your doctor about other options.

Learn how melanoma treatment options change depending on your cancer stage.

Find Your Team

On MyMelanomaTeam, the social network for people living with melanoma and their loved ones, members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with melanoma.

Have you used immunotherapy to treat your melanoma? How was your treatment experience? Share your thoughts and tips in a comment below, or start a conversation on your Activities page.