Cabozantinib Plus Nivolumab Improves Efficacy Over Sunitinib in mRCC

Ulka Vaishampayan, MD, professor of oncology at Wayne State University, and chief of the Solid Tumor Program at Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, discusses the findings from the phase 3 CheckMate-9ER study, which demonstrated promising response and survival outcomes with the combination of cabozantinib (Cabometyx) plus nivolumab (Opdivo) as treatment of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) compared with sunitinib (Sutent).

Overall, the frontline treatment of cabozantinib plus nivolumab improved efficacy compared with sunitinib in patients with newly diagnosed mRCC, Vaishampayan says. The response rate in this study was doubled, and the progression-free survival (PFS) was statistically and significantly improved with the combination over sunitinib. The median PFS with the combination was 16.6 months compared with 8.3 months in the control arm (HR, 0.51; P <.0001).

The overall response rate with the combination 55.7% versus 27.1% with sunitinib, and completes responses were observed in 8.0%, partial responses in 47.7%, and stable disease in 32.2% of patients in the combination arm of the study. The safety profile for the combination of nivolumab and cabozantinib appears manageable as treatment of patients with mRCC.