Purpose Nivolumab provides clinical benefit (objective response rate [ORR], 31%; 95% CI, 20.8 to 42.9; disease control rate, 69%; 12-month overall survival [OS], 73%) in previously treated patients with DNA mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR)/microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC); nivolumab plus ipilimumab may improve these outcomes. Efficacy and safety results for the nivolumab plus ipilimumab cohort of CheckMate-142, the largest single-study report of an immunotherapy combination in dMMR/MSI-H mCRC, are reported. Patients and Methods Patients received nivolumab 3 mg/kg plus ipilimumab 1 mg/kg once every 3 weeks (four doses) followed by nivolumab 3 mg/kg once every 2 weeks. Primary end point was investigator-assessed ORR. Results Of 119 patients, 76% had received ≥ two prior systemic therapies. At median follow-up of 13.4 months, investigator-assessed ORR was 55% (95% CI, 45.2 to 63.8), and disease control rate for ≥ 12 weeks was 80%. Median duration of response was not reached; most responses (94%) were ongoing at data cutoff. Progression-free survival rates were 76% (9 months) and 71% (12 months); respective OS rates were 87% and 85%. Statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements were observed in patient-reported outcomes, including functioning, symptoms, and quality of life. Grade 3 to 4 treatment-related adverse events (AEs) occurred in 32% of patients and were manageable. Patients (13%) who discontinued treatment because of study drug-related AEs had an ORR (63%) consistent with that of the overall population. Conclusion Nivolumab plus ipilimumab demonstrated high response rates, encouraging progression-free survival and OS at 12 months, manageable safety, and meaningful improvements in key patient-reported outcomes. Indirect comparisons suggest combination therapy provides improved efficacy relative to anti-programmed death-1 monotherapy and has a favorable benefit-risk profile. Nivolumab plus ipilimumab provides a promising new treatment option for patients with dMMR/MSI-H mCRC.

PURPOSE Nivolumab received US Food and Drug Administration approval as a single agent or in combination with ipilimumab in patients with microsatellite instability-high/mismatch repair-deficient (MSI-H/dMMR) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) that progressed following treatment with a fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan based on CheckMate 142. Presented are results of nivolumab plus low-dose ipilimumab in the first-line therapy cohort from the phase II CheckMate 142 study. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with no prior treatment in the metastatic setting for MSI-H/dMMR CRC were treated with nivolumab every 2 weeks plus low-dose ipilimumab every 6 weeks until disease progression. The primary end point was objective response rate (investigator assessment; RECIST v1.1). RESULTS Median age of treated patients was 66 years (N = 45). Median follow-up was 29.0 months. Objective response rate and disease control rate were 69% (95% CI, 53 to 82) and 84% (95% CI, 70.5 to 93.5), respectively, with 13% complete response rate. Median duration of response was not reached; 74% of responders had ongoing responses at data cutoff. Median progression-free survival and median overall survival were not reached with minimum follow-up of 24.2 months (24-month rates, 74% and 79%, respectively). Clinical benefit was observed regardless of baseline demographic and tumor characteristics, including BRAF or KRAS mutation status. In a post hoc analysis, of 14 patients who discontinued treatment and did not receive subsequent therapy, 10 remained progression-free. Patient-reported outcomes were stable over the treatment period. Grade 3-4 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 22% of patients; 13% discontinued because of any-grade treatment-related adverse events. CONCLUSION Nivolumab plus low-dose ipilimumab demonstrated robust and durable clinical benefit and was well tolerated as a first-line treatment for MSI-H/dMMR mCRC. Based on these promising data, randomized studies are warranted.

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519 Background: Approximately 4% of metastatic colorectal cancers (mCRCs) are associated with high microsatellite instability (MSI-H), indicating a deficient DNA mismatch repair (dMMR) system. dMMR/MSI-H CRC exhibits an increased tumor neoantigen load and immune cell infiltration and is hypothesized to be targetable by immune checkpoint inhibitors. CheckMate 142 (NCT02060188) evaluates the efficacy and safety of nivolumab (nivo) in patients (pts) with dMMR/MSI-H mCRC. Methods: Pts with dMMR/MSI-H mCRC who progressed on/were intolerant to ≥1 prior line of therapy received nivo 3 mg/kg (nivo 3) every 2 weeks (Q2W). The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) per investigator (INV). The secondary endpoint was ORR per independent radiology review committee (IRRC); exploratory endpoints included safety, PFS, OS, and efficacy in biomarker-defined populations. Results: Among pts treated with nivo 3 Q2W (N = 74), 84% had received ≥2 prior lines of therapy. ORRs were 31% (INV) and 27% (IRRC); disease control rates were 69% (INV) and 62% (IRRC). The median time to response was ≈2.7 mo (INV/IRRC). PFS rates at 12 mo were 48.4% (INV) and 45.6% (IRRC). The duration of response and OS medians were not yet reached; OS rates were 83.4% (6 mo) and 73.8% (12 mo). Responses were observed in pts regardless of tumor programmed death-1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression level or BRAF or KRAS mutation status and were observed in pts with or without a history of Lynch syndrome (Table). Grade 3–4 treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) occurred in 20% of pts. TRAEs leading to discontinuation included acute kidney injury, increased ALT, colitis, and stomatitis (1 each). No treatment-related deaths occurred in this arm. Conclusions: Nivo showed durable responses and disease control in heavily pretreated pts with dMMR/MSI-H mCRC. Treatment was well tolerated, with no new safety signals. Clinical trial information: NCT02060188. [Table: see text]

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