On May 26, 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the combination of Opdivo (nivolumab), Yervoy (ipilimumab), and two cycles of platinum-doublet chemotherapy for the first line treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with tumors having no changes in EGFR or ALK. The FDA based their approval on the results of the clinical trial CHECKMATE-9LA which showed that patients receiving Opdivo, Yervoy, and two cycles of platinum-doublet chemotherapy lived longer, had a higher chance of responding well to treatment, and went longer periods of time without progression than those receiving chemotherapy by itself.
The combination of Opdivo, Yervoy, and chemotherapy being available as a first line targeted therapy option gives patients more options for first line treatment. Patients are also able to stop chemotherapy after the two cycles and continue with the combination of Opdivo and Yervoy.
As a 7 year stage 4 lung cancer survivor this is phenomenal news! Keep up the good work on providing great patient information.