CheckMate-77T Trial Meets Primary EFS End Point in Resectable NSCLC

Tina Cascone, MD, PhD, assistant professor, in the Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, discusses the main findings from the phase 3 CheckMate-77T trial (NCT04025879), which is evaluating the perioperative regimen of neoadjuvant nivolumab (Opdivo) plus chemotherapy followed by surgery and adjuvant nivolumab among patients with stage IIA to IIIB non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

According to Cascone, the primary end point of the study, event-free survival (EFS), was met as statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements were noted in patients treated with the nivolumab-based regimen compared with neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus placebo followed by surgery and adjuvant placebo in patients with resectable stage IIA to IIIB NSCLC.

Transcription:

0:10 | The CheckMate-77T trial met its primary end point. Neoadjuvant nivolumab plus chemotherapy followed by surgery and adjuvant nivolumab demonstrated statistically significant and clinically meaningful EFS improvements compared [with] neoadjuvant chemotherapy [and] placebo followed by surgery and adjuvant placebo in patients with resectable non–small cell lung cancer. EFS benefit with nivolumab vs chemotherapy was seen across most key subgroups, and the pCR [pathological complete response] and MPR [major pathologic response] rates were also improved.

0:39 | In an expert reanalysis, perioperative nivolumab favored PFS in patients with a pCR with a trend toward improved EFS also in patients without a pCR. Among those patients who were eligible for adjuvant therapy, perioperative nivolumab improved the EFS vs chemotherapy [and] placebo, regardless of pCR status. Neoadjuvant nivolumab plus chemotherapy continued to provide benefits over chemotherapy [alone] in those patients who were not able to receive adjuvant therapy. The perioperative nivolumab-based regimen showed no new safety signals, and the surgical feasibility was similar between treatment arms.

1:19 | In conclusion, CheckMate-77T is the first phase 3 perioperative study to build on the standard of care neoadjuvant nivolumab plus chemotherapy, and supports a perioperative nivolumab as a potential new treatment option for our patients with resectable non–small cell lung cancer.