Dr. Younes Discusses FDA Approval of Nivolumab in Hodgkin Lymphoma

Anas Younes, MD, chief of the Lymphoma Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses the impact of the FDA approval of nivolumab (Opdivo) for the treatment of patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL).

This approval will have a significant impact on the treatment landscape of cHL as brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris) was previously the only approved agent in this space, Younes explains. Brentuximab vedotin is associated with a 75% response rate and a 35% complete response rate in patients with cHL. This means the majority of patients achieve partial, short-lived remissions; therefore, nivolumab provides a second option for this population.

Ongoing combination trials are examining nivolumab plus brentuximab vedotin, both of which can be administered at full doses, Younes explains. Nivolumab will also be explored in combination with chemotherapy and other targeted agents, he says.