BMS’ Opdivo cuts risk of melanoma recurrence

Source: Pharma Times, June 2018

Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Opdivo, which is being investigated as adjuvant treatment after surgery for stage IIIb/c or IV melanoma patients at high risk of recurrence, may significantly cut the risk of patients’ cancer returning at 24 months versus Yervoy.
According to data from the Phase III CheckMate-238 study, presented at this year’s American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting, at 24 months nearly two thirds (63 percent) of patients treated with Opdivo (nivolumab) had longer recurrent-free survival, compared to those treated with Yervoy (ipilimumab; 50 percent) regardless of BRAF mutation status.
The drug also showed an advantage on tolerability, showing a lower rate of serious adverse events (AEs) of any grade compared to Yervoy (17.5 percent versus 40.4 percent, respectively) after 18 months’ treatment.