Bristol Myers Squibb announced results from the Phase 3 CheckMate -8HW trial evaluating the combination of Opdivo® (nivolumab) and Yervoy® (ipilimumab) versus Opdivo monotherapy in treating microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). At a median follow-up of 47 months, the combination therapy demonstrated a 38% reduction in the risk of disease progression or death compared to monotherapy, with a higher progression-free survival rate and overall response rate. The safety profile of the combination therapy remained consistent and manageable.

The findings, presented at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium and published in *The Lancet*, reaffirm the efficacy of dual immunotherapy for this patient group. The study continues to evaluate secondary endpoints such as overall survival. These results build on prior data showing the superiority of the combination therapy over chemotherapy, which previously led to its approval in Europe for first-line treatment in MSI-H/dMMR mCRC patients.