The Significance of Nivolumab Plus Relatlimab for Advanced Melanoma
Source: Targeted Oncology, February 2023
Jason Luke, MD, associate professor of medicine in the Division of Hematology/Oncology and the director of the Cancer Immunotherapeutics Center at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Hillman Cancer Center, discussed the role played by the combination of nivolumab plus relatlimab (Opdualag) in patients with advanced melanoma.
The phase 3 RELATIVITY-047 trial (NCT03470922) randomly assigned patients to receive nivolumab plus relatlimab versus nivolumab alone (Opdivo). Relatlimab is an immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) that targets LAG-3, as opposed to other immune checkpoint inhibitors that have targeted PD-1/PD-L1 or CTLA-4. Luke says the use of a third immune checkpoint is potentially important beyond its use in patients with melanoma.
The results of the trial showed benefit to progression-free survival for the combination over nivolumab alone, leading to approval by the FDA. Luke said this impacts practice significantly, especially in lower-risk patients who would have otherwise received single-agent nivolumab or pembrolizumab (Keytruda).