Bristol Myers Squibb application for subcutaneous Nivolumab validated by EMA
Princeton: Bristol Myers Squibb has announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has validated the extension application to introduce a new route of administration (subcutaneous use) for Opdivo (nivolumab) that includes a new pharmaceutical form (solution for injection) and a new strength (600 mg/vial) across multiple previously approved adult solid tumor indications as monotherapy, monotherapy maintenance following completion of nivolumab plus ipilimumab combination therapy, or in combination with chemotherapy or cabozantinib, based on the results from the Phase 3 CheckMate -67T study. Validation of the application confirms the submission is complete and begins the EMA’s centralized review procedure.
“Subcutaneous nivolumab has the potential to change the way patients living with cancer receive Opdivo treatment and to significantly reduce administration time by utilizing a single injection in three-to-five minutes. By providing patients the same quality of care as IV Opdivo in a fraction of the time, patients can focus on what is important to them rather than spending a longer wait time at the infusion center,” said Susan Parker, vice president, global program lead, product design & development, Bristol Myers Squibb. “We are committed to advancing medicines that improve the patient experience and are evaluating innovative formulations across our broad portfolio. We look forward to working with the EMA to advance this application with the goal of introducing the subcutaneous option of Opdivo.”
In the Phase 3 CheckMate -67T trial, subcutaneous nivolumab demonstrated noninferiority of Cavgd28 (time-averaged Opdivo serum concentration over 28 days) and Cminss (trough serum concentration at steady state), the study’s primary endpoints, vs. intravenous (IV) Opdivo in patients with advanced or metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) who have received no more than two prior lines of systemic therapy. Additionally, subcutaneous nivolumab showed noninferiority of the key secondary endpoint of objective response rate (ORR) as assessed by Blinded Independent Central Review (BICR) vs. IV Opdivo. The safety profile of subcutaneous nivolumab was consistent with the IV formulation. The pharmacokinetics, efficacy and safety results from CheckMate -67T were presented at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Genitourinary Cancers Symposium. Additional safety analyses and patient reported outcomes were recently presented at the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting.
Opdivo is a programmed death-1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint inhibitor that is designed to uniquely harness the body’s own immune system to help restore anti-tumor immune response. By harnessing the body’s own immune system to fight cancer, Opdivo has become an important treatment option across multiple cancers.
In July 2014, Opdivo was the first PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor to receive regulatory approval anywhere in the world. Opdivo is currently approved in more than 65 countries, including the United States, the European Union, Japan and China. In September 2015, the Company’s Opdivo and Yervoy combination regimen was the first Immuno-Oncology to receive regulatory approval for the treatment of metastatic melanoma and is currently approved in more than 50 countries, including the United States and the European Union.
