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Adjuvant nivolumab
Nivolumab is a PD-1 inhibitor that blocks the interaction between PD-1 on T cells and PD-L1/PD-L2 on tumor cells, thereby releasing the brakes on anti-tumor immunity.
Nivolumab is a PD-1 inhibitor that blocks the interaction between PD-1 on T cells and PD-L1/PD-L2 on tumor cells, thereby releasing the brakes on anti-tumor immunity. Used for Adjuvant treatment of melanoma (resected stage IIIB/IIIC/IV), Adjuvant treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (resected stage IB-IIIA).
At a glance
| Generic name | Adjuvant nivolumab |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Opdivo |
| Sponsor | The Netherlands Cancer Institute |
| Drug class | PD-1 inhibitor |
| Target | PD-1 |
| Modality | Small molecule |
| Therapeutic area | Oncology |
| Phase | Phase 3 |
Mechanism of action
By inhibiting the PD-1 checkpoint, nivolumab restores T cell activation and proliferation, allowing the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells more effectively. In the adjuvant setting, it is used after surgical resection to reduce the risk of recurrence and improve overall survival by maintaining enhanced anti-tumor immune responses.
Approved indications
- Adjuvant treatment of melanoma (resected stage IIIB/IIIC/IV)
- Adjuvant treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (resected stage IB-IIIA)
Common side effects
- Fatigue
- Rash
- Diarrhea
- Immune-mediated pneumonitis
- Immune-mediated hepatitis
- Immune-mediated colitis
- Hypothyroidism
Key clinical trials
- Neoadjuvant Regorafenib in Combination With Nivolumab and Short-course Radiotherapy in Stage II-III Rectal Cancer (PHASE2)
- Nivolumab After Surgery and Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Stage IB-IIIA Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (An ALCHEMIST Treatment Trial) (PHASE3)
- Using Nivolumab Alone or With Cabozantinib to Prevent Mucosal Melanoma Return After Surgery (PHASE2)
- A Study to Evaluate Similarity of ABP 206 Compared With OPDIVO® (Nivolumab) in Subjects With Resected Melanoma (PHASE3)
- Genetic Testing in Screening Patients With Stage IB-IIIA Non-small Cell Lung Cancer That Has Been or Will Be Removed by Surgery (The ALCHEMIST Screening Trial) (NA)
- NeoVax + CDX-301 and Nivolumab or Pembrolizumab in Melanoma (PHASE1)
- Testing the Role of DNA Released From Tumor Cells Into the Blood in Guiding the Use of Immunotherapy After Surgical Removal of the Bladder, Kidney, Ureter, and Urethra for Urothelial Cancer Treatment, MODERN Study (PHASE2, PHASE3)
- Beamion LUNG-3: A Study to Test Whether Zongertinib Helps People With Surgically Removed, Non-small Cell Lung Cancer With HER2 Mutations Compared With Standard Treatment (PHASE3)
Primary sources
Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.
| Source | Used for |
|---|---|
| ClinicalTrials.gov | Trial enrolment, design, endpoints, results |
Competitive intelligence
For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:
- Adjuvant nivolumab CI brief — competitive landscape report
- Adjuvant nivolumab updates RSS · CI watch RSS
- The Netherlands Cancer Institute portfolio CI