PRINCETON, NJ, USA I January 04, 2020 I Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) today announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) validated its Type II Variation Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for Opdivo (nivolumab) in combination with fluoropyrimidine- and platinum-based combination chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of adult patients with advanced or metastatic gastric cancer (GC), gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer or esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Validation of the application confirms that the submission is complete and initiates the EMA’s centralized review process.
The filing is based on results from the pivotal Phase 3 CheckMate -649 trial, in which first-line treatment with Opdivo plus leucovorin, 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) or capecitabine and oxaliplatin (CapeOX) was compared to treatment with chemotherapy alone. Results showed a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with unresectable advanced or metastatic GC, GEJ cancer or EAC whose tumors express PD-L1 with a combined positive score (CPS) ≥ 5 (the primary endpoints of the study). The statistically significant OS benefit shown with Opdivo plus chemotherapy was also observed in PD-L1 positive patients with CPS ≥ 1 and in the all-randomized population. The safety profile observed for Opdivo plus chemotherapy in the CheckMate -649 trial was consistent with the known safety profiles of the individual treatments.
“Gastric cancer is among the top three causes of cancer death globally, and a large proportion of metastatic gastric and esophageal cancer patients do not live beyond one year after diagnosis. Today’s validation by the EMA marks a crucial step toward advancing treatment options and helping to improve outcomes for people living with these cancers,” said Ian M. Waxman, M.D., development lead, gastrointestinal cancers, Bristol Myers Squibb. “We look forward to continue working with EU regulatory authorities to potentially bring first-line Opdivo plus chemotherapy to those who may benefit from its use.”
Bristol Myers Squibb thanks the patients and investigators who were involved in the CheckMate -649 trial.
About CheckMate -649
CheckMate -649 is a Phase 3 randomized, multi-center, open-label study evaluating Opdivo plus chemotherapy or the Opdivo plus Yervoy (ipilimumab) combination compared to chemotherapy alone in patients with previously untreated, non-HER2-positive, advanced or metastatic gastric cancer, gastroesophageal junction cancer and esophageal adenocarcinoma. The primary endpoints of the trial are overall survival (OS) in PD-L1 positive patients with a combined positive score (CPS) ≥ 5 treated with Opdivo plus chemotherapy and progression-free survival (PFS), as assessed by Blinded Independent Central Review (BICR), in CPS ≥ 5 patients treated with Opdivo plus chemotherapy compared to chemotherapy alone. Key secondary endpoints include OS in CPS ≥ 1 and all-randomized patients treated with Opdivo plus chemotherapy as well as OS and time to symptom deterioration (TTSD) in patients treated with Opdivo plus Yervoy compared to chemotherapy alone.
Patients in the Opdivo plus chemotherapy arm received Opdivo 240 mg plus leucovorin, 5-fluorouracil, and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) every two weeks or Opdivo 360 mg plus capecitabine and oxaliplatin (CapeOX) every three weeks. Patients in the Opdivo plus Yervoy arm received Opdivo 1 mg/kg plus Yervoy 3 mg/kg every three weeks for four cycles followed by Opdivo 240 mg every two weeks. Patients in the chemotherapy arm received FOLFOX or CapeOX every two or three weeks, respectively. All patients continued treatment for up to two years or until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity or withdrawal of consent.
About Gastric Cancer
Gastric cancer, also known as stomach cancer, is the fifth most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide, with over 1,000,000 new cases and approximately 783,000 deaths in 2018. There are several cancers that can be classified as gastric cancer, including certain types of cancers that form in the GEJ, the area of the digestive tract where the esophagus and stomach connect. While GEJ cancer has a lower prevalence than distal gastric cancer, it continues to rise. First-line treatment for patients with gastric or GEJ cancer often provides the best chance for efficacy as many patients cannot proceed to subsequent treatments in later settings due to deterioration.
About Esophageal Cancer
Esophageal cancer is the seventh most common cancer and the sixth leading cause of death from cancer worldwide, with approximately 572,000 new cases and over 508,000 deaths in 2018. The two most common types of esophageal cancer are squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, which account for approximately 85% and 14% of all esophageal cancers, respectively, though esophageal tumor histology can vary by region with the highest rate of esophageal adenocarcinoma occurring in North America (65%). The majority of cases are diagnosed in the advanced setting and impact a patient’s daily life, including their ability to eat and drink.
Bristol Myers Squibb: Creating a Better Future for People with Cancer
Bristol Myers Squibb is inspired by a single vision — transforming people’s lives through science. The goal of the company’s cancer research is to deliver medicines that offer each patient a better, healthier life and to make cure a possibility. Building on a legacy across a broad range of cancers that have changed survival expectations for many, Bristol Myers Squibb researchers are exploring new frontiers in personalized medicine, and through innovative digital platforms, are turning data into insights that sharpen their focus. Deep scientific expertise, cutting-edge capabilities and discovery platforms enable the company to look at cancer from every angle. Cancer can have a relentless grasp on many parts of a patient’s life, and Bristol Myers Squibb is committed to taking actions to address all aspects of care, from diagnosis to survivorship. Because as a leader in cancer care, Bristol Myers Squibb is working to empower all people with cancer to have a better future.
About Opdivo ®
Opdivo is a programmed death-1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint inhibitor that is designed to uniquely harness the body’s own immune system to help restore anti-tumor immune response. By harnessing the body’s own immune system to fight cancer, Opdivo has become an important treatment option across multiple cancers.
Opdivo’s leading global development program is based on Bristol Myers Squibb’s scientific expertise in the field of Immuno-Oncology and includes a broad range of clinical trials across all phases, including Phase 3, in a variety of tumor types. To date, the Opdivo clinical development program has treated more than 35,000 patients. The Opdivo trials have contributed to gaining a deeper understanding of the potential role of biomarkers in patient care, particularly regarding how patients may benefit from Opdivo across the continuum of PD-L1 expression.
In July 2014, Opdivo was the first PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor to receive regulatory approval anywhere in the world. Opdivo is currently approved in more than 65 countries, including the United States, the European Union, Japan and China. In October 2015, the Company’s Opdivo and Yervoy combination regimen was the first Immuno-Oncology combination to receive regulatory approval for the treatment of metastatic melanoma and is currently approved in more than 50 countries, including the United States and the European Union.
INDICATIONS
OPDIVO® (nivolumab), as a single agent, is indicated for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma.
OPDIVO® (nivolumab), in combination with YERVOY® (ipilimumab), is indicated for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma.
OPDIVO® (nivolumab), in combination with YERVOY® (ipilimumab), is indicated for the first-line treatment of adult patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors express PD-L1 (≥1%) as determined by an FDA-approved test, with no EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations.
OPDIVO® (nivolumab), in combination with YERVOY® (ipilimumab) and 2 cycles of platinum-doublet chemotherapy, is indicated for the first-line treatment of adult patients with metastatic or recurrent non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with no EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations.
OPDIVO® (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy. Patients with EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations should have disease progression on FDA-approved therapy for these aberrations prior to receiving OPDIVO.
OPDIVO® (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with metastatic small cell lung cancer (SCLC) with progression after platinum-based chemotherapy and at least one other line of therapy. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.
OPDIVO® (nivolumab), in combination with YERVOY® (ipilimumab), is indicated for the first-line treatment of adult patients with unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM).
OPDIVO® (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who have received prior anti-angiogenic therapy.
OPDIVO® (nivolumab), in combination with YERVOY® (ipilimumab), is indicated for the treatment of patients with intermediate or poor risk, previously untreated advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC).
OPDIVO® (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) that has relapsed or progressed after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and brentuximab vedotin or after 3 or more lines of systemic therapy that includes autologous HSCT. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.
OPDIVO® (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) with disease progression on or after platinum-based therapy.
OPDIVO® (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma who have disease progression during or following platinum-containing chemotherapy or have disease progression within 12 months of neoadjuvant or adjuvant treatment with platinum-containing chemotherapy. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.
OPDIVO® (nivolumab), as a single agent, is indicated for the treatment of adult and pediatric (12 years and older) patients with microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) that has progressed following treatment with a fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.
OPDIVO® (nivolumab), in combination with YERVOY® (ipilimumab), is indicated for the treatment of adults and pediatric patients 12 years and older with microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) that has progressed following treatment with a fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.
OPDIVO® (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have been previously treated with sorafenib. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials.
OPDIVO® (nivolumab), in combination with YERVOY® (ipilimumab), is indicated for the treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have been previously treated with sorafenib. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials.
OPDIVO® (nivolumab) is indicated for the adjuvant treatment of patients with melanoma with involvement of lymph nodes or metastatic disease who have undergone complete resection.
OPDIVO® (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with unresectable advanced, recurrent or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) after prior fluoropyrimidine- and platinum-based chemotherapy.
Clinical Trials and Patient Populations
Checkmate 037–previously treated metastatic melanoma; Checkmate 066–previously untreated metastatic melanoma; Checkmate 067–previously untreated metastatic melanoma, as a single agent or in combination with YERVOY; Checkmate 227–previously untreated metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, in combination with YERVOY; Checkmate 9LA–previously untreated recurrent or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer in combination with YERVOY and 2 cycles of platinum-doublet chemotherapy by histology; Checkmate 017–second-line treatment of metastatic squamous non-small cell lung cancer; Checkmate 057–second-line treatment of metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer; Checkmate 032–small cell lung cancer; Checkmate 743–previously untreated unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma, in combination with YERVOY; Checkmate 025–previously treated renal cell carcinoma; Checkmate 214–previously untreated renal cell carcinoma, in combination with YERVOY; Checkmate 205/039–classical Hodgkin lymphoma; Checkmate 141–recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck; Checkmate 275–urothelial carcinoma; Checkmate 142–MSI-H or dMMR metastatic colorectal cancer, as a single agent or in combination with YERVOY; Checkmate 040–hepatocellular carcinoma, as a single agent or in combination with YERVOY; Checkmate 238–adjuvant treatment of melanoma; Attraction-3–esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
About the Bristol Myers Squibb and Ono Pharmaceutical Collaboration
In 2011, through a collaboration agreement with Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Bristol Myers Squibb expanded its territorial rights to develop and commercialize Opdivo globally, except in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, where Ono had retained all rights to the compound at the time. On July 23, 2014, Ono and Bristol Myers Squibb further expanded the companies’ strategic collaboration agreement to jointly develop and commercialize multiple immunotherapies – as single agents and combination regimens – for patients with cancer in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.
About Bristol Myers Squibb
Bristol Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. For more information about Bristol Myers Squibb, visit us at BMS.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.
Celgene and Juno Therapeutics are wholly owned subsidiaries of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. In certain countries outside the U.S., due to local laws, Celgene and Juno Therapeutics are referred to as, Celgene, a Bristol Myers Squibb company and Juno Therapeutics, a Bristol Myers Squibb company.
SOURCE: Bristol-Myers Squibb