Melanoma study: are two immunotherapies better than one?

A newly opened Phase 3 study at Providence Cancer Institute hopes to shed new light on the benefits of two immunotherapies, nivolumab and NKTR-214, for patients with advanced melanoma.

Nivolumab (Opdivo) is an FDA-approved PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor that has already been shown to improve survival in many patients with metastatic melanoma. NKTR-214 is an investigational immunotherapy designed to increase the activity and proliferation of T cells while also increasing expression of PD-1, boosting their cancer-fighting power. Early studies of the combination of both therapies revealed promising antitumor activity in people with stage IV melanoma, including a 64 percent overall response rate and a 91 percent disease control rate. Read more in OncLive.

The purpose of the new Phase 3 study is to find out whether the combination of nivolumab and NKTR-214 is more effective than nivolumab alone for treating melanoma that has spread or is unable to be removed by surgery.

View the study here:

A Phase 3, Randomized, Open-label Study of NKTR-214 Combined with Nivolumab Versus Nivolumab in Participants with Previously Untreated Unresectable or Metastatic Melanoma

For more information or to refer patients to this study, please call Providence Cancer Institute’s Clinical Research office at 503-215-2614.

This study is one of seven trials of targeted therapies and immunotherapies currently open to people with advanced melanoma at the Earle A. Chiles Research Institute at Providence Cancer Institute. New studies are added frequently – please visit our website to see our current studies.

See all open melanoma studies.

See all Providence studies in all cancer types.

Leaders in melanoma research and treatment

Providence Cancer Institute has been an international leader in melanoma research and treatment for more than 20 years. Some highlights of our program and contributions:

• Providence Cancer Institute researchers led the international study leading to FDA approval of ipilimumab (Yervoy), the first immunotherapy to show a survival benefit in advanced melanoma. 
• Providence also participated in clinical trials leading to FDA approval of the combination of ipilimumab and nivolumab (Opdivo), talimogene laherparepvec (TVEC) oncolytic virus therapy and BRAF targeted therapy using vemurafenib (Zelboraf), which offer improved response and survival benefits as first, second- or third-line therapies for patients with metastatic melanoma.
• Providence has a large portfolio of clinical trials for patients with advanced melanoma including novel T cell checkpoint combinations, oncolytic viruses, co-stimulatory antibodies, bi-specific antibodies and adoptive cellular therapy including tumor infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy.

Learn more about the Providence Cancer Institute Melanoma Program.