Bristol-Myers Squibb stops Opdivo renal cell cancer trial early

Bristol-Myers Squibb has called an early end to CheckMate -025, a clinical trial assessing its drug Opdivo as a treatment for renal cell cancer.

The open-label, randomised phase III study was evaluating the drug in previously-treated patients with advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma compared to an established alternative therapy.

It was stopped early after an independent data monitoring committee concluded that the study had already met its endpoint, demonstrating superior overall survival in patients receiving Opdivo compared to the control arm.

CheckMate -025 investigators are being informed of the decision to stop the comparative portion of the trial, with eligible patients to be given the opportunity to continue or start treatment with Opdivo in an open-label extension.

Michael Giordano, senior vice-president and head of development for oncology at Bristol-Myers Squibb, said: "Through our Opdivo clinical development program, we aim to redefine treatment expectations for patients with advanced RCC by providing improved survival."

This comes after the drug was approved in Europe as a treatment for advanced melanoma in adults last month.