On August 15, 2017 Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) reported topline results today from the CheckMate -214 trial investigating Opdivo (nivolumab) in combination with Yervoy (ipilimumab) versus sunitinib in intermediate and poor-risk patients previously untreated advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (Press release, Bristol-Myers Squibb, AUG 15, 2017, View Source [SID1234520256]).

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The combination met the co-primary endpoint of objective response rate (ORR) and achieved a 41.6% ORR versus 26.5% for sunitinib. Median duration of response was not reached for the combination of Opdivo and Yervoy and was 18.17 months for sunitinib. While there was an improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) (HR=0.82, [95% CI 0.64 – 1.05]; stratified 2-sided p=0.03), it did not reach statistical significance. The median PFS was 11.56 months (95% CI 8.71 – 15.51) for the Opdivo and Yervoy combination versus 8.38 months (95% CI 7.03-10.81) for sunitinib, The study will continue as planned to allow the third co-primary endpoint of overall survival to mature. The tolerability profile observed in CheckMate-214 was consistent with that observed in previously reported studies of this dosing schedule.

"We are encouraged by the totality of the CheckMate-214 data. The overall response rate and durability of response favored the combination of Opdivo and Yervoy, and the trend for PFS supports the potential of the combination in intermediate and poor-risk advanced renal cell carcinoma, the most common type of kidney cancer. This is an important study in first-line renal cancer as these patients need new options," said Vicki Goodman, M.D., development lead, Melanoma and Genitourinary Cancers, Bristol-Myers Squibb. "We look forward to presenting the full results from this study at an upcoming medical meeting."

"Opdivo is now well established as standard of care in the treatment of second-line renal cell carcinoma," said Goodman. "The company plans to share these important first-line data with regulatory authorities and we look forward to reporting overall survival when these data mature."

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. Patients in the combination group received Opdivo 3 mg/kg plus Yervoy 1 mg/kg every 3 weeks for 4 doses followed by Opdivo 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks. Patients in the comparator group received sunitinib 50 mg once daily for 4 weeks, followed by 2 weeks off before continuation of treatment. Patients were treated until progression or unacceptable toxic effects. The primary endpoints of the trial are progression-free survival, overall survival and objective response rate in an intermediate to poor-risk patient population (approximately 75 percent of patients). The majority of alpha was allocated to overall survival. Safety is a secondary endpoint.

About Renal Cell Carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common type of kidney cancer in adults, accounting for more than 100,000 deaths worldwide each year. Clear-cell RCC is the most prevalent type of RCC and constitutes 80% to 90% of all cases. RCC is approximately twice as common in men as in women, with the highest rates of the disease in North America and Europe. Globally, the five-year survival rate for those diagnosed with metastatic, or advanced kidney cancer, is 12.1%.