Bristol-Myers Squibb says late stage trial for kidney cancer drug shows improved survival

28 September 2015

US drug major Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) has said late stage trials for its drug candidate, nivolumab (trade name Opdivo), to treat a form of kidney cancer improved overall survival.

James Larkin, consultant medical oncologist, The Royal Marsden Hospital, London, said: “These nivolumab data are compelling and mark the first time that an immunotherapy treatment of this type has demonstrated a significant improvement in kidney cancer survival. These data show that nivolumab can offer a significant increase in months of life compared to an existing standard therapy, and with fewer side effects. This is promising news and our hope is that it will provide a new treatment option for thousands of UK patients in the future.”

In addition to improving overall survival, nivolumab also demonstrated a superior overall response rate in the Phase III trials, the company said in a statement.

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