Bristol-Myers Squibb Shares Long-Term Survival Results for Nivolumab with or without Ipilimumab in Renal Cell Carcinoma

San Francisco, CA (UroToday.com) --Bristol-Myers Squibb Company announced updated results from the Phase 3 CheckMate -214 study evaluating the combination of Opdivo (nivolumab) plus Yervoy (ipilimumab) versus sunitinib in patients with previously untreated advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). With a minimum follow-up of 42 months, the combination of Opdivo plus Yervoy continues to show superior overall survival (OS), objective response rates (ORR), duration of response (DOR) and complete response (CR) rates. The safety profile for Opdivo plus Yervoy was consistent with prior findings and no new safety signals or drug-related deaths occurred with extended follow-up. The data will be featured in an oral presentation (Abstract #609) on Saturday, February 15, 2020 at the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2020 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium in San Francisco.

Updated results from CheckMate -214 study show that more than 50% of patients treated with Opdivo plus Yervoy were alive at 42 months compared to 39% of patients treated with sunitinib

Complete response rates, per independent review, for patients treated with Opdivo plus Yervoy were maintained and ongoing in over 80% of patients

Results represent the longest follow-up with any immuno-oncology–based therapy in this setting

A significant OS benefit was observed in both patients from the intermediate- and poor-risk (IP) and the intent-to-treat (ITT, i.e. all randomized) populations treated with Opdivo plus Yervoy compared to those treated with sunitinib alone. Of the patients treated with Opdivo plus Yervoy who experienced a complete response, per independent review, that response was ongoing in 84% and 86% of patients in the IP and ITT populations, respectively.

In the IP populations, patients treated with Opdivo plus Yervoy demonstrated significantly improved:

  • OS: At 42 months, the OS rate was 52% for patients treated with Opdivo plus Yervoy and 39% for patients treated with sunitinib alone [Hazard Ratio (HR) 0.66 (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.55-0.80)].
  • ORR: Per independent review, ORR was 42% with Opdivo plus Yervoy and 26% for sunitinib (p=0.0001).
  • DOR: Median DOR was not reached for patients treated with Opdivo plus Yervoy and was 19.7 months (95% CI: 16.4-26.4) for patients treated with sunitinib.
  • CR: Per independent review, 10% of patients treated with Opdivo plus Yervoy experienced a CR compared to 1% with sunitinib alone.

Results were similar for the ITT population, where patients treated with Opdivo plus Yervoy experienced significantly improved:

  • OS: At 42 months, the OS rate for the ITT population was 56% for patients treated with Opdivo plus Yervoy and 47% for patients treated with sunitinib alone [HR 0.72 (95% CI: 0.61-0.86)].
  • ORR: Per independent review, ORR was 39% with Opdivo plus Yervoy and 33% for sunitinib (p=0.02).
  • DOR: Median DOR was not reached for patients treated with Opdivo plus Yervoy and was 24.8 months (95% CI: 19.4-27.3) for patients treated with sunitinib.
  • CR: Per independent review, 11% of patients treated with Opdivo plus Yervoy experienced a CR compared to 2% with sunitinib alone


“Results from this 42-month follow-up from the CheckMate -214 study reinforce the previously observed findings and add to the growing body of evidence suggesting that nivolumab plus ipilimumab has the potential to significantly improve long-term survival for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma, a population with high unmet needs,” said CheckMate -214 investigator Nizar M. Tannir, MD, FACP, Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. “Particularly noteworthy is that a consistently higher proportion of patients treated with the combination of nivolumab plus ipilimumab achieved a complete response and the majority of these complete responses were durable.”

“These positive findings from CheckMate -214 continue to demonstrate the complementary nature of dual immuno-therapy and reinforce the depth and durability of response the combination of Opdivo plus Yervoy can deliver for patients,” said Brian Lamon, Ph.D., development lead, genitourinary cancers, Bristol-Myers Squibb. “We look forward to continuing to explore the potential that this combination holds for patients with difficult-to-treat cancers.”

About CheckMate -214

CheckMate -214 is a Phase 3, randomized, open-label study evaluating the combination of Opdivo plus Yervoy versus sunitinib in patients with previously untreated advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Patients in the combination group received Opdivo 3 mg/kg plus Yervoy 1 mg/kg every three weeks for four doses followed by Opdivo 3 mg/kg every two weeks. Patients in the comparator group received sunitinib 50 mg once daily for four weeks, followed by two weeks off before the continuation of treatment. Patients were treated until progression or unacceptable toxic effects. The primary endpoints of the trial are overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and objective response rate (ORR) in an intermediate to poor-risk patient population (approximately 75% of patients).

Source: "Opdivo (Nivolumab) Plus Yervoy (Ipilimumab) Demonstrates Continued Survival Benefit At 42-Month Follow-Up In Patients With Previously Untreated Advanced Or Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma | BMS Newsroom". 2020. News.Bms.Com. https://news.bms.com/press-release/corporatefinancial-news/opdivo-nivolumab-plus-yervoy-ipilimumab-demonstrates-continued

Related Content: (Abstract #609) ASCO GU 2020: Overall Survival and Independent Review of Response in CheckMate 214 with 42-month Follow-up: First-line Nivolumab + Ipilimumab versus Sunitinib in Patients with Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma