Nivolumab’s Growing Role in the Melanoma Treatment Paradigm –

Source: Targeted Oncology, February 2016

Fortunately, there are now numerous medications available for patients with metastatic melanoma harboring a BRAF V600 mutation. These include 2 different combinations of BRAF and MEK inhibitors, the nivolumab combination, monotherapy with each agent, and pembrolizumab monotherapy."

– Jedd D. Wolchok, MD, PhD

In early February, the FDA granted expanded approval to nivolumab (Opdivo) as both a single agent, as well as in combination with ipilimumab (Yervoy), for patients with melanoma exhibiting BRAF V600 mutations. This expansion puts nivolumab in the frontline for all patients with advanced melanoma, which Jedd D. Wolchok, MD, PhD, says will be beneficial for patients.

“The approval brings the combination regimen to approximately twice as many patients on-label, now that the BRAF status is no longer considered," said Wolchok, chief, Melanoma and Immunotherapeutics Service, Department of Medicine and Ludwig Center at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and lead investigator of the CheckMate-067 study, in an interview with Targeted Oncology.