Dr. Choueiri on Avelumab Plus Axitinib in mRCC

Toni K. Choueiri, MD, director, Lank Center for Genitourinary Oncology, director, Kidney Cancer Center, senior physician, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, discusses phase I results of axitinib (Inlyta) plus avelumab (Bavencio) for the treatment of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Axitinib is a standard VEGF therapy for the second-line setting and demonstrates a good response rate, Choueiri explains. It also has shown promise as a frontline therapy, though it is not yet approved in that setting by the FDA. Avelumab is approved by the FDA for treatment of patients with Merkel cell carcinoma and for patients with advanced refractory urothelial carcinoma.

The combination of these 2 agents does have some associated toxicities but, overall, showed no dose-limiting tocities. An expansion phase did also show toxicities related mainly with axitinib or avelumab. Moreover, there was an approximate 60% response rate, justifying the ongoing phase III trial of axitinib plus avelumab versus sunitinib (Sutent) that is currently ongoing.