Motzer RJ, Powles T, Atkins MB, et al. - In this study of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC), primary endpoint of progression-free survival was met at interim analyses, although atezolizumab plus bevacizumab conferred no improvement in overall survival (OS) at the final analysis. Via biomarker analyses, an insight was gained into which mRCC cases could benefit from combined anti−programmed death ligand 1 and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy.

• In a phase 3 randomized clinical trial (IMmotion151) of 915 patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma, 915 patients were assessed; the efficacy and safety of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab vs sunitinib was compared in patients with untreated mRCC.

• Findings showed similar OS with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab vs sunitinib, with an acceptable safety profile.

• Improved OS was achieved with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab when patients with tumors characterized by T-effector/proliferative, proliferative, and small nucleolar RNA transcription profiles were combined.