Ipilimumab: in previously treated patients with advanced melanoma

Ipilimumab is a recombinant, fully human, monoclonal antibody targeted at cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 that is available for the treatment of advanced melanoma. This review focuses on the efficacy and tolerability of ipilimumab in advanced melanoma and provides an overview of its pharmacology. In a randomized, double-blind, multinational, phase III trial in previously treated patients with advanced melanoma, median overall survival (OS) was significantly longer with ipilimumab 3 mg/kg plus glycoprotein (gp) 100 peptide vaccine or ipilimumab plus placebo than with gp100 peptide vaccine plus placebo (10.0 and 10.1 vs 6.4 months). Hazard ratios for death were 0.68 (p < 0.001) with ipilimumab plus gp100 peptide vaccine versus gp100 peptide vaccine plus placebo and 0.66 (p = 0.003) for ipilimumab plus placebo versus gp100 peptide vaccine plus placebo, with corresponding 32% and 34% relative reductions in the risk of death. There was no significant difference in OS between patients receiving ipilimumab plus gp100 peptide vaccine and those receiving ipilimumab plus placebo. Novel immune-related events that are not typical of other anticancer agents, most commonly dermatologic and gastrointestinal disorders, can occur with ipilimumab, necessitating specific monitoring and management protocols. In the phase III trial, grade 3/4 immune-related adverse events occurred in 10-15% of ipilimumab 3 mg/kg recipients versus 3% of gp100 peptide vaccine plus placebo recipients. In all, 2.1% of patients died as a result of treatment-related adverse events, with half of the deaths attributed to immune-related adverse events.