Long-term efficacy and safety of first-line (1L) nivolumab plus relatlimab (NIVO + RELA) versus NIVO plus ipilimumab (NIVO + IPI) in advanced melanoma: An updated indirect treatment comparison (ITC) with 5-year follow-up data.

H Hussein A. Tawbi (The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX) D Dirk Schadendorf E Evan J. Lipson F F. Stephen Hodi (From the Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center (J.D.W.) and the Department of Medicine (J.D.W., M.A.P.), Weill Cornell Medicine, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (M.A.P.) — both in New York; Istituto Oncologico Veneto, IRCCS, Padua (V.C.-S.), European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan (P.Q.), Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, IRCCS, Meldola (M.G.), University of Siena and the Center for Immuno-Oncology, University Hospital of Siena, Siena (M.M.), and Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione Pascale, Naples (P.A.A.) — all in Italy; Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland (P.R.); Texas Oncology–Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center, Dallas (C.L.C.); University Hospital Essen, the German Cancer Consortium, the National Center for Tumor Diseases–West, the Research Alliance Ruhr, Research Center One Health, and University Duisburg-Essen — all in Essen, Germany (D.S.); the College of Medicine, Swansea University, Swansea (J.W.), Brist...) P Paolo Antonio Ascierto (Università degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II” and Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione “G. Pascale”, Naples, Italy) J James M.G. Larkin (The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom) C Christopher Lao (Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, NY) C Caroline Gaudy-Marqueste (From the Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center (J.D.W.) and the Department of Medicine (J.D.W., M.A.P.), Weill Cornell Medicine, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (M.A.P.) — both in New York; Istituto Oncologico Veneto, IRCCS, Padua (V.C.-S.), European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan (P.Q.), Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, IRCCS, Meldola (M.G.), University of Siena and the Center for Immuno-Oncology, University Hospital of Siena, Siena (M.M.), and Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione Pascale, Naples (P.A.A.) — all in Italy; Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland (P.R.); Texas Oncology–Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center, Dallas (C.L.C.); University Hospital Essen, the German Cancer Consortium, the National Center for Tumor Diseases–West, the Research Alliance Ruhr, Research Center One Health, and University Duisburg-Essen — all in Essen, Germany (D.S.); the College of Medicine, Swansea University, Swansea (J.W.), Brist...) M Masoom Priyadarshini (Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ) V Viviana Garcia Horton (Analysis Group, Inc., New York, NY) Z Zheng-Yi Zhou (Analysis Group, Inc., New York, NY) H Hannah H. Kim D Dana Christensen (Analysis Group, Inc., New York, NY) M Matthew Mattera (Analysis Group, Inc., New York, NY) L Lisa Rosenblatt (Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ) C Calin Dumitru (Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ) C Cara Trulli (Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ) L Leon A. Sakkal (Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ) G Georgina V. Long

Abstract

9530 Background: An ITC comparing NIVO + RELA and NIVO + IPI, approved dual immunotherapy treatment options for patients (pts) with advanced melanoma, was previously conducted using pt-level data from the pivotal RELATIVITY-047 (RELA-047; NIVO + RELA vs NIVO) and CheckMate 067 (CM-067; NIVO + IPI or NIVO vs IPI) trials (Long JCO 2024). Here we present updated results using 5-year follow-up data from RELA-047. Methods: Inverse probability of treatment weighting was used to adjust for cross-trial imbalances in baseline characteristics. CM-067 follow-up was truncated to best align with the follow-up length in RELA-047. Progression-free survival (PFS) per investigator (INV), confirmed objective response rates (ORRs) per INV, overall survival (OS), and melanoma-specific survival (MSS) were analyzed. Outcomes were also evaluated across key subgroups. The weighted NIVO arms from each trial were compared for validation. Results: After weighting, key baseline characteristics were balanced for NIVO + RELA (n = 339) and NIVO + IPI (n = 297). Outcomes after weighting were similar between NIVO + RELA and NIVO + IPI (hazard ratio [HR] [95% CI]: PFS, 1.10 [0.90–1.34]; OS, 0.96 [0.77–1.20]; MSS, 0.88 [0.68–1.12]; table). Grade 3–4 treatment-related adverse event (TRAE) rates were numerically lower with NIVO + RELA than with NIVO + IPI (23% vs 62%, respectively). Across subgroups, efficacy appeared similar between treatments, although trends favoring NIVO + IPI were observed for ORRs among pts with BRAF mutant disease (59% vs 48%) or serum lactate dehydrogenase > 2× the upper limit of normal (33% vs 12%). Among pts progression-free at 3 years, both NIVO + RELA and NIVO + IPI were associated with sustained benefit, with 5-year OS of 96% and 94% and MSS of 100% and 98%, respectively. Conclusions: Consistent with earlier findings, this updated ITC with a 5-year minimum follow-up from RELA-047 suggests that 1L treatment with NIVO + RELA may have efficacy comparable to NIVO + IPI in pts with advanced melanoma, overall and across most, but not all, subgroups. Results should be interpreted with caution because of differences in study design and the evolving treatment landscape over time. Efficacy outcomes after weighting. NIVO + RELA (n = 339) NIVO + IPI (n = 297) HR/OR (95% CI) a NIVO RELA-047 (n = 338) NIVO CM-067 (n = 288) HR/OR (95% CI) b Median PFS per INV, mo (95% CI) 12.0 (8.2–17.1) 11.2 (8.5–18.1) 1.10 (0.90–1.34) 6.7 (4.6–10.2) 5.7 (3.9–9.1) 0.96 (0.79–1.16) Confirmed ORR per INV, % 48 50 0.92 (0.73–1.15) 40 40 0.99 (0.78–1.26) Median OS, mo (95% CI) 64.2 (38.6–NR) 61.4 (37.1–NR) 0.96 (0.77–1.20) 34.7 (27.3–47.3) 35.7 (26.4–52.7) 1.04 (0.85–1.28) Median MSS, mo (95% CI) NR (NR–NR) NR (61.4–NR) 0.88 (0.68–1.12) 51.2 (34.7–NR) 44.8 (32.3–NR) 1.00 (0.80–1.25) a NIVO + RELA vs NIVO + IPI. b NIVO arms. NR, not reached; odds ratio, OR.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 44, Issue 16_suppl
Published June 01, 2026
Pages 9530-9530
ISSN 0732-183X
Publisher Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Journal Info

Journal of Clinical Oncology

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

ISSN: 0732-183X Health Sciences

Authors (19)

H

Hussein A. Tawbi

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

D

Dirk Schadendorf

E

Evan J. Lipson

F

F. Stephen Hodi

From the Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center (J.D.W.) and the Department of Medicine (J.D.W., M.A.P.), Weill Cornell Medicine, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (M.A.P.) — both in New York; Istituto Oncologico Veneto, IRCCS, Padua (V.C.-S.), European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan (P.Q.), Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, IRCCS, Meldola (M.G.), University of Siena and the Center for Immuno-Oncology, University Hospital of Siena, Siena (M.M.), and Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione Pascale, Naples (P.A.A.) — all in Italy; Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland (P.R.); Texas Oncology–Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center, Dallas (C.L.C.); University Hospital Essen, the German Cancer Consortium, the National Center for Tumor Diseases–West, the Research Alliance Ruhr, Research Center One Health, and University Duisburg-Essen — all in Essen, Germany (D.S.); the College of Medicine, Swansea University, Swansea (J.W.), Brist...

P

Paolo Antonio Ascierto

Università degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II” and Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione “G. Pascale”, Naples, Italy

J

James M.G. Larkin

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom

C

Christopher Lao

Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, NY

C

Caroline Gaudy-Marqueste

From the Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center (J.D.W.) and the Department of Medicine (J.D.W., M.A.P.), Weill Cornell Medicine, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (M.A.P.) — both in New York; Istituto Oncologico Veneto, IRCCS, Padua (V.C.-S.), European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan (P.Q.), Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, IRCCS, Meldola (M.G.), University of Siena and the Center for Immuno-Oncology, University Hospital of Siena, Siena (M.M.), and Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione Pascale, Naples (P.A.A.) — all in Italy; Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland (P.R.); Texas Oncology–Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center, Dallas (C.L.C.); University Hospital Essen, the German Cancer Consortium, the National Center for Tumor Diseases–West, the Research Alliance Ruhr, Research Center One Health, and University Duisburg-Essen — all in Essen, Germany (D.S.); the College of Medicine, Swansea University, Swansea (J.W.), Brist...

M

Masoom Priyadarshini

Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ

V

Viviana Garcia Horton

Analysis Group, Inc., New York, NY

Z

Zheng-Yi Zhou

Analysis Group, Inc., New York, NY

H

Hannah H. Kim

D

Dana Christensen

Analysis Group, Inc., New York, NY

M

Matthew Mattera

Analysis Group, Inc., New York, NY

L

Lisa Rosenblatt

Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ

C

Calin Dumitru

Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ

C

Cara Trulli

Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ

L

Leon A. Sakkal

Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ

G

Georgina V. Long