Nivolumab Plus Lirilumab Shows Encouraging Activity in Advanced HNSCC

Nivolumab (Opdivo) in combination with lirilumab, an anti-killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (anti-KIR) antibody, demonstrated encouraging clinical benefit for patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC) refractory to platinum-based therapy, according to interim data presented at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) 31 Annual Meeting in National Harbor, Maryland.¹

Among 29 evaluable patients with HNSCC treated with nivolumab and lirilumab, 24% achieved an objective response and 17% had deep responses with reductions in tumor burden greater than 80%. Subgroup analysis showed that 41% of the 17 evaluable patients with 1% PD-L1 expression or greater achieved a response.

The safety profile associated with lirilumab in combination with nivolumab was generally consistent with that observed with nivolumab alone. About three-quarters of 159 patients included in a safety analysis experienced treatment-related adverse events; 15% reported grade 3 to 4 treatment-related adverse events.

Immunotherapy discontinuation was required in 8% of patients due to adverse events.

For the open-label, phase 1/2 dose escalation and cohort expansion study, researchers enrolled 159 patients with advanced refractory solid tumors. Patients received 1 of 4 doses of lirilumab once every 4 weeks plus nivolumab once every 3 weeks.

Reference

1. Interim phase 1/2 data show encouraging clinical benefit for lirilumab in combination with Opdivo (nivolumab) in patients with advanced platinum refractory squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Bristol-Myers Squibb website. http://news.bms.com/press-release/bristolmyers/interim-phase-12-data-show-encouraging-clinical-benefit-lirilumab-combina. Updated November 12, 2016. Accessed November 16, 2016.