Multinational phase 3 trial of adjuvant nivolumab plus ipilimumab versus placebo after nephrectomy for localized renal cell carcinoma

Effective adjuvant therapy for patients with resected localized renal cell carcinoma (RCC) represents an unmet need, with surveillance being the standard of care. Part A of the multinational phase 3 CheckMate 914 trial (145 centers in 20 countries) compared adjuvant nivolumab plus ipilimumab (n=405) versus placebo (n=411) after radical or partial nephrectomy in patients with localized RCC who were at high risk of relapse. Adjuvant nivolumab plus ipilimumab did not improve disease-free survival versus placebo. The authors conclude that these results do not support this regimen for the adjuvant treatment of RCC.