This study aims to evaluate the safety, tolerability and effectiveness of new treatments for kidney cancer called Nivolumab and Ipilimumab. The study is in two parts; in the first instance patients receive nivolumab alone. If this treatment is not effective patients may move onto the second part of the trial, where they receive nivolumab + ipilimumab. There is no placebo. The reason to offer one treatment alone, followed by two treatments together is that it is thought that the double treatment may have more side-effects, but also may be effective in people in whom the single first treatment (nivolumab alone) has not helped. Nivolumab and ipilimumab are experimental treatments. This means that they are not an approved treatment for non-clear cell kidney cancer in Australia. The purpose of this study is to test the effectiveness, safety, and tolerability of Nivolumab (also known as Opdivo or BMS-936558) and Ipilumumab (also known as MDX-010 or Yervoy). Nivolumab and ipilimumab are antibodies (a type of human protein) that are being tested to see if they will allow the body's immune system to work against tumour cells. The immune system is the body's defence against cancer, bacteria and viruses. The effectiveness of nivolumab and ipilimumab in cancer of the kidney will be assessed by measuring the size of patient tumours via CT scans. Nivolumab and ipilimumab have been used alone or in combination in many other cancers, and are licenced for use in other cancers like advanced melanoma and bladder cancer in Australia. They have not been tested in people with non-clear cell kidney cancer. About 85 participants with non-clear cell kidney cancer are expected to participate in this study, from Australia and New Zealand. This research study has been initiated by Dr. Craig Gedye, is being conducted in collaboration with the Centre for Biostatistics and Clinical Trials (BaCT) and sponsored in Australia by the Australian and New Zealand Urogenital and Prostate (ANZUP) Cancer Trials Group Pty Ltd. Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) is supplying the study drugs and grant funding for this research.
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
The objective tumour response rate, as assessed by RECIST1.1
Timeframe: Through study completion, on average 5 years.