Past, present and future of nivolumab: new horizons in immuno-oncology

Over the last two years, nivolumab (an inhibitor of programmed death-protein 1, PD-1) has established itself as a cornerstone of modern-day cancer immunotherapy. The immuno-oncology field is developing at an accelerated rate, as nivolumab is progressively acting as an optimally strategic, globally diffused treatment base across a heterogeneous spectrum of malignancies. This has been driven by the accruing data on pivotal phase 3 trials that show better survival rates alongside subsequent regulatory approvals both at the national and international levels that have expanded its therapeutic indications. Meanwhile its translational and clinical impact has been increased further by expanded-access programmes and new combinatorial approaches. All these developments highlight the increasing clinical relevance of nivolumab as they also highlight the current issues in the provision of equitable access, in performing biomarker-based patient stratification, and in optimizing therapeutic sequencing in the rapidly evolving framework of precision oncology.