European regulator backs greater use of BMS’s Opdivo

Immunotherapy treatment Opdivo, developed by Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) has been cleared for greater use by regulators in Europe.

The treatment had been permitted for adult patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma following prior therapy.

However, it can now be used for adults with locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer.

Professor Dean Fennell, chair of Thoracic Medical Oncology at the University of Leicester, believes this decision will "irrevocably change the treatment of this condition and represents one of the biggest advances in almost two decades".

"Treating these patients as quickly as possible is vital so we hope access will be as prompt as possible across the UK," he commented.

Johanna Mercier, general manager at BMS UK & Ireland, added that it is pleased that European regulatory bodies have approved greater use of this "life-extending medicine".

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