Avelumab in combination with axitinib for advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma – first line

Avelumab intravenous infusion in combination with oral axitinib is in clinical development for people with advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma that have not received any prior
treatment. Renal cell carcinoma originates in the tubules of the kidney that filter the blood waste and is the most common type of kidney cancer in adults. Renal cell carcinoma is
advanced when it has spread to regional lymph nodes and is metastatic when the tumour has spread to other parts of the body. Current treatment options are associated with severe
adverse events, and in most patients disease will eventually progress.
Avelumab is a human monoclonal antibody that works by inducing cancer cell death and restoring immune response against cancer cells. Axitinib works by blocking the growth of
blood vessels that supply the cancer cells. Their combined mechanism of actions may result in more effective cancer growth inhibition with manageable toxicity profiles. If licensed,
avelumab in combination with axitinib may offer an additional treatment option for people with advanced renal cell carcinoma that have not been treated previously.