Dr. Schadendorf on Nivolumab/ Ipilimumab Combination Trial in Melanoma

Dirk Schadendorf, MD, Head of Department for Dermatology, Venerology und Allergology, University Hospital Essen, Germany, discusses the results from the phase III CheckMate 067 study, which looked at a combination immunotherapy regimen in advanced melanoma.

The study has three arms: nivolumab alone, nivolumab plus ipilimumab, and ipilimumab alone. The primary endpoint of the trial is progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

Results from data published so far are astonishing, says Schadendorf. There is a clear separation in tumor control between the three arms. In the ipilimumab alone arm PFS is 2.5 months, in the nivolumab alone arm PFS is slightly more than 6 months, and in the combination arm there is close to 12 months PFS observed, says Schadendorf.

Whether this translates to an overall survival benefit is yet to be seen, but the results so far are promising, says Schadendorf.