NSCLC: Checkmate017/057 – the 3-year follow-up
Long-term data comparing outcomes with immune checkpoint inhibitors vs. chemotherapy in NSCLC are limited. An update of phase III trials Checkmate 017 and 057 after a minimum follow-up of three years will be presented at ESMO 2017 in Madrid.
Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive nivolumab 3 mg/kg Q2W (with the option to change to 480 mg Q2W) or docetaxel 75 mg/m2 Q3W until progression or discontinuation.The primary endpoint of each study was OS, other endpoints were ORR, progression-free survival, and efficacy by PD ligand (PD-L1) expression.
After a minimum follow-up of 36,6 mo in each study, 6 % of the 427 total patients randomised to the two nivolumab arms remained on treatment, no patient remained on docetaxel. Nivolumab showed an OS benefit vs docetaxel, with 3-y OS rates of 16 % vs. 6 % in CheckMate 017 and 18% versus 9% in CheckMate 057. An OS benefit was observed in squamous NSCLC regardless of PD-L1 expression and was enhanced in non-squamous NSCLC at higher PD-L1 expression levels.
Overall, a 3-year survival rate was achieved in 17 % of nivolumab-treated patients. Additional data across trial endpoints will be presented.