Thebattle for primacy in melanoma treatment is likely to move to the early, adjuvant (post-surgical) setting, following the release of strong data for Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.'s immunotherapy Opdivo and Novartis AG/GlaxoSmithKline PLC'sBRAF and MEK inhibitors Tafinlar and Mekinist, based on full Phase III results presented at the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) annual meeting.
Bristol's PD-1 inhibitor Opdivo and Novartis/Glaxo's Tafinlar (dabrafenib)/Mekinist (trametinib) combination both dramatically and significantly increased relapse-free survival (RFS) rates and were well-tolerated in two trials in the adjuvant treatment of melanoma for patients at high risk of recurrence – CheckMate 238 and COMBI-AD, respectively
All three studies were presented on Sept. 11 at the ESMO meeting in Madrid