Five-year survival and biomarker analyses of pembrolizumab plus axitinib versus sunitinib for advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma

The multinational phase 3 KEYNOTE-426 trial randomized patients with advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma 1:1 pembrolizumab plus axitinib (n=432) or sunitinib (n=429) for 2 years. Five-year follow-up results of the trial have now been published. Results showed a sustained profit in overall survival, progression-free survival, and objective response profit with pembrolizumab plus axitinib over sunitinib. Various signatures associated with outcomes were discovered. The authors conclude that with longer follow-up the study showed clinical benefit of pembrolizumab plus axitinib over sunitinib was sustained, while providing valuable information on biomarkers for immunotherapy-based treatment combinations in advanced RCC.