Nivolumab in combination with ipilimumab for cisplatin-ineligible patients with untreated, unresectable or metastatic urothelial cancer– first line

Nivolumab in combination with ipilimumab is in development for cisplatin-ineligible patients with previously untreated, unresectable or metastatic urothelial cancer (UC). UC occurs on the lining of the renal pelvis, ureter, bladder and urethra, and other parts of the urinary system. Metastatic UC occurs when the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Durable responses are rare with current standard of care treatments. Therefore, treatment approaches with longer-term disease control and extending to broader metastatic UC patient populations are needed.
Nivolumab and ipilimumab, administered IV, are immune therapy medicinal products that are currently licensed as a combination treatment of advanced cancers. Nivolumab is an immune checkpoint inhibitor. It works by improving the activity of white blood cells (T-cells), thereby increasing the ability of the immune system to kill cancer cells. Ipilimumab has a different mode of action but also increases the activity of T-cells against cancer cells. If licensed, nivolumab in combination with ipilimumab may offer an additional first line treatment option for cisplatin-ineligible patients with previously untreated, unresectable or metastatic UC.