Nivolumab + Relatlimab vs Pembrolizumab with Chemotherapy for Lung Cancer

(RELATIVITY1093 Trial)

Recruiting at 337 trial locations

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Travel: May Be Covered

Time Reimbursement: Varies

Trial Phase: Phase 3

Recruiting

Sponsor: Bristol-Myers Squibb

Must not be taking: Targeted inhibitors, Immunotherapy

Disqualifiers: Pregnancy, CNS metastases, Autoimmune, others

No Placebo Group

Pivotal Trial (Near Approval)

Prior Safety Data

Breakthrough Therapy

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of Nivolumab and Relatlimab in combination with chemotherapy to Pembrolizumab with Chemotherapy in participants with stage IV or recurrent Non-squamous Non-small Cell Lung Cancer with PD-L1 expression ≥ 1%

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It's best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your doctor.

What data supports the effectiveness of the drug Nivolumab + Relatlimab vs Pembrolizumab with Chemotherapy for Lung Cancer?

Research shows that pembrolizumab, a component of the treatment, significantly improves survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) when combined with chemotherapy. Additionally, both nivolumab and pembrolizumab are effective in treating various cancers by helping the immune system target cancer cells. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is the combination of Nivolumab, Relatlimab, and Pembrolizumab with chemotherapy generally safe for humans?

Nivolumab and Pembrolizumab, both used in cancer treatments, have been associated with some side effects, including cardiotoxicity (heart-related issues) and pneumonitis (lung inflammation). These side effects are relatively rare but can be serious, occurring in a small percentage of patients. ^{1 5 6 7 8}

How is the drug combination of Nivolumab, Relatlimab, and Pembrolizumab with chemotherapy unique for lung cancer?

This drug combination is unique because it combines two immune checkpoint inhibitors, Nivolumab and Relatlimab, with Pembrolizumab and chemotherapy, potentially enhancing the immune system's ability to fight lung cancer by targeting different pathways. This approach may offer a novel strategy compared to traditional chemotherapy or single-agent immunotherapy. ^{1 5 9 10 11}

Research Team

Bristol-Myers Squibb

Principal Investigator

Bristol-Myers Squibb

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for adults with stage IV or recurrent non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer showing PD-L1 levels between 1-49%. Participants should not have had prior systemic treatment for their advanced disease.

Inclusion Criteria

I haven't received any systemic anti-cancer treatments for advanced or metastatic disease.

My cancer can be measured on scans.

I am fully active or restricted in physically strenuous activity but can do light work.

Exclusion Criteria

I have no other cancers needing treatment or active in the last 2 years.

I do not have untreated brain metastases.

I have never had myocarditis.

Trial Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive either Nivolumab and Relatlimab in combination with chemotherapy or Pembrolizumab with chemotherapy

12 weeks

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Nivolumab (Checkpoint Inhibitor)
• Pembrolizumab (Checkpoint Inhibitor)
• Relatlimab (Checkpoint Inhibitor)

Trial Overview The study aims to compare the effectiveness of two treatments: Nivolumab and Relatlimab combined with chemotherapy versus Pembrolizumab with chemotherapy, in patients matching the specific cancer criteria.

Participant Groups

Group I: Arm A Experimental Treatment 5 Interventions

Group II: Arm B Active Control 4 Interventions

Nivolumab is already approved in Canada, Switzerland for the following indications:

Approved in Canada as Opdivo for:

• Melanoma
• Non-small cell lung cancer
• Renal cell carcinoma
• Hodgkin lymphoma
• Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
• Urothelial carcinoma
• Colorectal cancer
• Gastric cancer
• Gastroesophageal junction cancer
• Esophageal adenocarcinoma

Approved in Switzerland as Opdivo for:

• Melanoma
• Non-small cell lung cancer
• Renal cell carcinoma
• Hodgkin lymphoma
• Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
• Urothelial carcinoma
• Colorectal cancer
• Gastric cancer
• Gastroesophageal junction cancer
• Esophageal adenocarcinoma

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Bristol-Myers Squibb

Lead Sponsor

Trials

2,731

Recruited

4,127,000+

Headquarters

New York City, USA

Known For

Oncology & Cardiovascular

Top Products

Eliquis, Opdivo, Revlimid, Orencia

Christopher Boerner

Bristol-Myers Squibb

Chief Executive Officer since 2023

PhD in Business Administration from the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley; BA in Economics and History from Washington University in St. Louis

Deepak L. Bhatt

Bristol-Myers Squibb

Chief Medical Officer since 2024

MD from Yale University; MSc in Clinical Epidemiology from the University of Pennsylvania

Findings from Research

In a phase II trial involving 15 patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), neoadjuvant treatment with pembrolizumab showed a major pathologic response in 27% of patients, indicating promising antitumor activity before surgery.

The treatment was found to be feasible and safe, with only 33% of patients experiencing moderate adverse events, and no postoperative mortality, suggesting that pembrolizumab does not compromise surgical outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Neoadjuvant anti-programmed death-1 immunotherapy by pembrolizumab in resectable non-small cell lung cancer: First clinical experience. Eichhorn, F., Klotz, LV., Kriegsmann, M., et al.[2022]

In the KEYNOTE-189 study, first-line treatment with pembrolizumab combined with pemetrexed-platinum significantly improved overall survival (OS) to a median of 22.0 months compared to 10.7 months for the placebo group, indicating a strong efficacy in treating metastatic nonsquamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

The combination therapy also resulted in a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 9.0 months versus 4.9 months for placebo, with benefits observed regardless of tumor PD-L1 expression or the presence of liver/brain metastases, while maintaining a similar incidence of serious adverse events between the two groups.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Updated Analysis From KEYNOTE-189: Pembrolizumab or Placebo Plus Pemetrexed and Platinum for Previously Untreated Metastatic Nonsquamous Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer. Gadgeel, S., Rodríguez-Abreu, D., Speranza, G., et al.[2021]

In a study involving 1033 patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), pembrolizumab significantly improved overall survival compared to docetaxel, with a hazard ratio of 0.66, indicating a 34% reduction in the risk of death.

The effectiveness of pembrolizumab was consistent across both archival and newly collected tumor samples, with better outcomes observed in patients with higher PD-L1 expression (TPS ≥50%), showing hazard ratios of 0.64 and 0.40 for overall survival, respectively.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Use of archival versus newly collected tumor samples for assessing PD-L1 expression and overall survival: an updated analysis of KEYNOTE-010 trial. Herbst, RS., Baas, P., Perez-Gracia, JL., et al.[2023]

In the KEYNOTE-024 study involving 305 patients with untreated advanced non-small-cell lung cancer, pembrolizumab significantly improved overall survival (OS) compared to platinum-based chemotherapy, with a median OS of 30.0 months versus 14.2 months for chemotherapy.

Pembrolizumab also had a better safety profile, with fewer treatment-related severe adverse events (31.2% for pembrolizumab vs. 53.3% for chemotherapy), indicating it is a safer option for patients.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Updated Analysis of KEYNOTE-024: Pembrolizumab Versus Platinum-Based Chemotherapy for Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer With PD-L1 Tumor Proportion Score of 50% or Greater. Reck, M., Rodríguez-Abreu, D., Robinson, AG., et al.[2022]

Nivolumab and pembrolizumab are FDA-approved monoclonal antibodies that target PD-1, helping to enhance T cell activity against cancer by blocking the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction, which allows cancer cells to escape immune detection.

Both drugs have shown efficacy across multiple cancer types, including melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer, and are considered interchangeable options for treating these conditions, which may help manage the rising costs of cancer therapies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Nivolumab and pembrolizumab: Monoclonal antibodies against programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) that are interchangeable. Prasad, V., Kaestner, V.[2022]

In a meta-analysis of 15 studies involving cancer patients treated with either nivolumab or pembrolizumab, nivolumab was associated with a higher overall incidence of cardiotoxicity (55.7%) compared to pembrolizumab (27.31%), although this difference was not statistically significant.

However, when looking specifically at myocarditis, pembrolizumab showed a significant increase in cardiotoxicity risk, suggesting that while nivolumab may be more commonly reported for general cardiotoxicity, pembrolizumab poses a greater risk for this specific heart condition.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Comparative cardiotoxicity risk of pembrolizumab versus nivolumab in cancer patients undergoing immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy: A meta-analysis. Ndjana Lessomo, FY., Wang, Z., Mukuka, C.[2023]

Pembrolizumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor, can cause pneumonitis in 1%-5% of patients, and this case report highlights an atypical presentation of this side effect in a patient with metastatic squamous cell carcinoma.

The patient was successfully treated with steroid therapy after ruling out other potential causes, leading to complete resolution of the pneumonitis, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and managing atypical cases of checkpoint inhibitor-pneumonitis.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Recurrent and atypical immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced pneumonitis. Jeon, WJ., Nguyen, J., Castillo, DR., et al.[2023]

In a real-life study of 108 patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and a PD-L1 tumor proportion score of ≥50%, pembrolizumab showed a median progression-free survival of 10.1 months, similar to results from the KEYNOTE-024 trial.

The treatment was generally well-tolerated, with only 8% of patients experiencing grade 3 adverse events, and no severe (grade 4 or 5) adverse events reported, indicating a favorable safety profile.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

First-line pembrolizumab for non-small cell lung cancer patients with PD-L1 ≥50% in a multicenter real-life cohort: The PEMBREIZH study. Amrane, K., Geier, M., Corre, R., et al.[2021]

Nivolumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor, significantly improved overall survival and progression-free survival compared to docetaxel in patients with advanced squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the CheckMate 017 trial.

Nivolumab was better tolerated than docetaxel, with manageable adverse effects, making it a promising treatment option for patients who have already undergone chemotherapy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Nivolumab: a review in advanced squamous non-small cell lung cancer. Keating, GM.[2022]

Nivolumab (Opdivo) significantly improves overall survival and response rates in previously-treated patients with advanced nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) compared to docetaxel, as shown in the CheckMate 057 trial.

Nivolumab has a manageable adverse event profile and is better tolerated than docetaxel, making it a valuable treatment option for patients who have progressed after chemotherapy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Nivolumab: A Review in Advanced Nonsquamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Keating, GM.[2018]

In patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) expressing PD-L1 in ≥50% of tumor cells, pembrolizumab significantly improves progression-free and overall survival compared to traditional platinum-based chemotherapy.

Combining pembrolizumab with standard chemotherapy (pemetrexed and a platinum drug) enhances survival outcomes regardless of PD-L1 expression, indicating a broader efficacy of this combination therapy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Combined Checkpoint Inhibition and Chemotherapy: New Era of 1st-Line Treatment for Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer. Wang, C., Kulkarni, P., Salgia, R.[2020]

References

1. Ireland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Neoadjuvant anti-programmed death-1 immunotherapy by pembrolizumab in resectable non-small cell lung cancer: First clinical experience. [2022]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Updated Analysis From KEYNOTE-189: Pembrolizumab or Placebo Plus Pemetrexed and Platinum for Previously Untreated Metastatic Nonsquamous Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer. [2021]

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Use of archival versus newly collected tumor samples for assessing PD-L1 expression and overall survival: an updated analysis of KEYNOTE-010 trial. [2023]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Updated Analysis of KEYNOTE-024: Pembrolizumab Versus Platinum-Based Chemotherapy for Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer With PD-L1 Tumor Proportion Score of 50% or Greater. [2022]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Nivolumab and pembrolizumab: Monoclonal antibodies against programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) that are interchangeable. [2022]

6. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Comparative cardiotoxicity risk of pembrolizumab versus nivolumab in cancer patients undergoing immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy: A meta-analysis. [2023]

7. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Recurrent and atypical immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced pneumonitis. [2023]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

First-line pembrolizumab for non-small cell lung cancer patients with PD-L1 ≥50% in a multicenter real-life cohort: The PEMBREIZH study. [2021]

9. New Zealand pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Nivolumab: a review in advanced squamous non-small cell lung cancer. [2022]

10. New Zealand pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Nivolumab: A Review in Advanced Nonsquamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. [2018]

11. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Combined Checkpoint Inhibition and Chemotherapy: New Era of 1st-Line Treatment for Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer. [2020]