Cited by 8,157Cancer Immunotherapy and BiomarkersCutaneous Melanoma Detection and ManagementMelanoma and MAPK Pathways

Combined Nivolumab and Ipilimumab or Monotherapy in Untreated Melanoma

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Larkin, James, Chiarion-Sileni, Vanna, Gonzalez, Rene, Grob, Jean Jacques, Cowey, C. Lance, Lao, Christopher D., Schadendorf, Dirk, Dummer, Reinhard +23 more·2015·New England Journal of Medicine

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Nivolumab (a programmed death 1 [PD-1] checkpoint inhibitor) and ipilimumab (a cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 [CTLA-4] checkpoint inhibitor) have been shown to have complementary activity in metastatic melanoma. In this randomized, double-blind, phase 3 study, nivolumab alone or nivolumab plus ipilimumab was compared with ipilimumab alone in patients with metastatic melanoma. METHODS: We assigned, in a 1:1:1 ratio, 945 previously untreated patients with unresectable stage III or IV melanoma to nivolumab alone, nivolumab plus ipilimumab, or ipilimumab alone. Progression-free survival and overall survival were coprimary end points. Results regarding progression-free survival are presented here. RESULTS: The median progression-free survival was 11.5 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 8.9 to 16.7) with nivolumab plus ipilimumab, as compared with 2.9 months (95% CI, 2.8 to 3.4) with ipilimumab (hazard ratio for death or disease progression, 0.42; 99.5% CI, 0.31 to 0.57; P<0.001), and 6.9 months (95% CI, 4.3 to 9.5) with nivolumab (hazard ratio for the comparison with ipilimumab, 0.57; 99.5% CI, 0.43 to 0.76; P<0.001). In patients with tumors positive for the PD-1 ligand (PD-L1), the median progression-free survival was 14.0 months in the nivolumab-plus-ipilimumab group and in the nivolumab group, but in patients with PD-L1-negative tumors, progression-free survival was longer with the combination therapy than with nivolumab alone (11.2 months [95% CI, 8.0 to not reached] vs. 5.3 months [95% CI, 2.8 to 7.1]). Treatment-related adverse events of grade 3 or 4 occurred in 16.3% of the patients in the nivolumab group, 55.0% of those in the nivolumab-plus-ipilimumab group, and 27.3% of those in the ipilimumab group. CONCLUSIONS: Among previously untreated patients with metastatic melanoma, nivolumab alone or combined with ipilimumab resulted in significantly longer progression-free survival than ipilimumab alone. In patients with PD-L1-negative tumors, the combination of PD-1 and CTLA-4 blockade was more effective than either agent alone. (Funded by Bristol-Myers Squibb; CheckMate 067 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01844505.).

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Authors
Larkin, J., Chiarion-Sileni, V., Gonzalez, R., Grob, J. J., Cowey, C. L., Lao, C. D., Schadendorf, D., Dummer, R., Smylie, M., Rutkowski, P., Ferrucci, P. F., Hill, A., Wagstaff, J., Carlino, M. S., Haanen, J. B., Maio, M., Marquez-Rodas, I., McArthur, G. A., Ascierto, P. A., Long, G. V., Callahan, M. K., Postow, M. A., Grossmann, K., Sznol, M., Dreno, B., Bastholt, L., Yang, A., Rollin, L. M., Horak, C., Hodi, F. S., & Wolchok, J. D.
Affiliations
  • University of Siena (IT)
  • From the Department of Medical Oncology, Royal Marsden Hospital, London (J.L.), and South West Wales Cancer Institute, Singleton Hospital, Swansea (J.W.) — both in the United Kingdom; Melanoma Oncology Unit, Veneto Region Oncology Research Institute, Padua (V.C.-S.), Oncology of Melanoma Unit, European Institute of Oncology, Milan (P.F.F.), University Hospital of Siena, Siena (M.M.), and Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione Pascale, Naples (P.A.A.) — all in Italy; Division of Medical Oncology, University...
Venue
New England Journal of Medicine
Published
2015-07-02
Volume
373
Issue
1
Pages
23-34
ISSN
  • 0028-4793 (ISSN-L)
  • 1533-4406
OpenAlex
W2166662937
Cited by
8,157
References
22
Citations by year
2026: 295 · 2025: 388 · 2024: 530 · 2023: 626 · 2022: 689 · 2021: 827 · 2020: 925 · 2019: 867 · 2018: 925 · 2017: 1039 · 2016: 837 · 2015: 190 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 2
FWCI
435.42
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • New England Journal of Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • University of Southern Denmark Research Portal (University of Southern Denmark) (publishedVersion)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Use Siena air (University of Siena) (submittedVersion)
  • Universitätsbibliographie, Universität Duisburg-Essen (submittedVersion)
  • LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich)
Funders
National Cancer Institute (P30CA008748)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer Immunotherapy and Biomarkers
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cutaneous Melanoma Detection and Management
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Melanoma and MAPK Pathways
Keywords
ab, ipilimumab, metastatic melanoma, PD-1 inhibitors, CTLA-4 inhibitors, immune checkpoint inhibitors, combination immunotherapy, PD-L1 expression, progression-free survival, overall survival, treatment-related adverse events, immune-related adverse events, immune-related pneumonitis, immune-related colitis, immune-related endocrinopathy, immune-related hepatitis
MeSH terms
Ipilimumab, Nivolumab, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Antibodies, Monoclonal, Antineoplastic Agents, Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols, Double-Blind Method, Female, Humans, Male, Melanoma, Middle Aged, Skin Neoplasms, Disease-Free Survival, Tumor Burden, Intention to Treat Analysis

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