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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2021 Nov 1.
Published in final edited form as: J Am Acad Dermatol. 2020 May 24;83(5):1239–1253. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2020.03.131

Table III.

Major studies investigating nivolumab [Opdivo®] (anti-PD-1 immunotherapy) to treat melanoma

Enrollment period Trial phase/Identifier Patients Randomization / Dosing regimen(s) Primary endpoint / Results Median follow-up Common severe (grade 3-5) irAEs:
2012-2014 Phase 3, CheckMate 037, NCT01721746 Previously treated, unresectable or metastatic ipilimumab-refractory melanoma; or (if BRAF V600 mutation-positive) ipilimumab + BRAF inhibitor-refractory melanoma, n=631 Nivolumab 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks, n=272

Chemotherapy (dacarbazine 1000 mg/m2 every 3 weeks or paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 combined with carboplatin area under the curve 6 every 3 weeks), n=133
OR:

Nivolumab (n=120): 37.1%

Chemotherapy (n=47): 10.6%
8.4 mo. Nivolumab: 5%

Chemotherapy: 9%
2013-2014 Checkmate 066, NCT01721772 Previously untreated melanoma without BRAF mutation, n=418 Nivolumab 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks and dacarbazinematched placebo every 3 weeks, n=210

Dacarbazine 1000 mg/m^2 BSA every 3 weeks and nivolumabmatched placebo every 2 weeks, n=208
1-year-OS:

Nivolumab: 72.9%

Dacarbazine: 42.1%
Nivolumab: 8.9 mo.

Dacarbazine: 6.8 mo
Nivolumab: 11.7%

Dacarbazine: 17.6%
2015 Phase 3, Checkmate 238, NCT02388906 Completely resected, advanced (stage IIIb, IIIc or IV) melanoma patients, n=906 Nivolumab 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks, n=453

Ipilimumab, 10 mg/kg every 3 weeks for 4 doses; then every 12 weeks, n=453
RFS in overall intention to treat group:

Nivolumab: 70.5%

Ipilimumab: 60.8%
18 mo. Nivolumab: 14.4%

Ipilimumab: 45.9%

Abbreviations: Investigator’s choice of chemotherapy (ICC); body surface area (BSA)