Dr. Choueiri Discusses Avelumab/Axitinib Data in RCC

Toni Choueiri, MD, director, Lank Center for Genitourinary Oncology, director, Kidney Cancer Center, Jerome and Nancy Kohlberg Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, discusses data with avelumab (Bavencio)/axitinib (Inlyta) in the treatment of patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

At the 2019 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, Choueiri presented updated data from the JAVELIN Renal 101 trial, which is evaluating the combination of the PD-L1 inhibitor avelumab and the VEGF TKI axitinib versus sunitinib (Sutent). These data looked specifically at the risk groups—favorable, intermediate, and poor. There were also analyses done on other subgroups, such as patients who received nephrectomy versus those who did not, those with PD-L1 positivity versus those who do not, and those with a smoking history, because these risk factors were shown to be of importance and of prognostic value, says Choueiri.

Another endpoint of the trial was progression-free survival 2, he adds, which is progression on second-line therapy after progressing on first-line therapy, and in this case, the hazard ratio dropped to 0.56. The team also conducted analysis on the duration of response, which took into consideration time to response. With this endpoint, the combination demonstrated an advantage over sunitinib as well. In terms of toxicity, there were no new significant adverse events reported since the original presentation at the 2018 ESMO Congress.

This is an exciting time for patients with advanced RCC, Choueiri says, because there are several new treatment options available. Beyond this combination, pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and axitinib has also shown promise in this patient population.

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