Bristol-Myers is the only company to have developed a PD-1 inhibitor for the aforementioned indication. Opdivo, also known by its chemical name nivolumab, works by helping the body’s own immune system to fight cancer by inhibiting the protein PD-1 (Programmed Death Receptor).
Blocking this pathway is very important because otherwise cancer cells can easily slip through without being identified by the immune system. With Opdivo’s proven efficacy, for the first time a PD-1 inhibitor has shown significant survival for lung cancer patients. The company will reap in substantial benefits from its first-move advantage in the long run.