Three-year analysis from Phase 3 CheckMate -238 study represents longest follow-up of any PD-1 inhibitor in the adjuvant melanoma setting

PRINCETON, NJ, USA I September 28, 2019 IBristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) today announced results of a three-year analysis of efficacy data from the Phase 3 CheckMate -238 study evaluating adjuvant use of Opdivo (nivolumab) 3 mg/kg versus Yervoy (ipilimumab) 10 mg/kg in patients with Stage III or Stage IV melanoma who were at high risk of recurrence following complete surgical resection. At three years of follow-up, Opdivo continues to demonstrate superior recurrence-free survival (RFS) compared to Yervoy, the active control, with RFS rates of 58% and 45%, respectively (HR 0.68; p<0.0001). Distant-metastasis-free survival (DMFS) also continues to be significantly longer for Opdivo, with 36-month rates of 66% and 58%, respectively (hazard ratio 0.78, p=0.044). Both RFS and DMFS benefit continue to be observed across key subgroups, including disease stages, BRAF mutation status and PD-L1 expression. No new safety data were generated as part of the 36-month analysis.

“For patients with surgically resected, advanced melanoma at high risk of recurrence, these three-year data are highly significant as they provide additional support showing the long-term benefits of adjuvant nivolumab treatment in decreasing disease recurrence,” said Jeffrey S. Weber, M.D., Ph.D., CheckMate -238 investigator and deputy director of the Perlmutter Cancer Center at New York University Langone Medical Center. “The continued separation of the curves points to the long-term potential of nivolumab to provide a durable benefit for this patient population.”

Arvin Yang, M.D., Ph.D., development lead, melanoma and genitourinary cancers, Bristol-Myers Squibb, said, “In this study of resected Stage III and Stage IV high-risk melanoma patients, Opdivo continues to demonstrate sustained long-term improvements in the prevention of disease recurrence over Yervoy, the active control.”

Data from this analysis will be featured at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2019 Congress in Barcelona, Spain (Saturday, September 28 from 8:30-10:15 AM CEST).

About CheckMate -238

CheckMate -238 is an ongoing Phase 3, randomized double-blind study of Opdivo versus Yervoy in patients who have undergone complete resection of Stage IIIb/c or Stage IV melanoma. The trial randomized 906 patients to receive either Opdivo 3 mg/kg intravenously every two weeks or Yervoy 10 mg/kg IV every three weeks for four doses and then every 12 weeks until documented disease progression or unacceptable toxicity, up to a maximum treatment duration of one year. The primary endpoint is recurrence-free survival, defined as the time between randomization and the date of first recurrence or death. The secondary endpoint is overall survival.

Adjuvant Therapy in Melanoma

Melanoma is separated into five staging categories (stages 0-4) based on the in-situ feature, thickness and ulceration of the tumor, whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, and how far the cancer has spread beyond lymph nodes.

Stage 3 melanoma has reached the regional lymph nodes but has not yet spread to distant lymph nodes or to other parts of the body (metastasized) and requires surgical resection of the primary tumor as well as the involved lymph nodes. Some patients may also be treated with adjuvant therapy. Despite surgical intervention, most patients experience disease recurrence and progress to metastatic disease.

Bristol-Myers Squibb: Advancing Oncology Research

At Bristol-Myers Squibb, patients are at the center of everything we do. The focus of our research is to increase quality, long-term survival for patients and make cure a possibility. Through a unique multidisciplinary approach powered by translational science, we harness our deep scientific experience in oncology and Immuno-Oncology (I-O) research to identify novel treatments tailored to individual patient needs. Our researchers are developing a diverse, purposefully built pipeline designed to target different immune system pathways and address the complex and specific interactions between the tumor, its microenvironment and the immune system. We source innovation internally, and in collaboration with academia, government, advocacy groups and biotechnology companies, to help make the promise of transformational medicines, like I-O, a reality for patients.

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.

U.S. FDA-APPROVED INDICATIONS FOR OPDIVO®

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) 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) 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 tumor response rate and durability 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.

Checkmate 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 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 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; Checkmate 238–adjuvant treatment of melanoma.

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.

SOURCE: Bristol-Myers Squibb