2016年9月16日FDA调整Nivolumab的用药剂量为240mg，静脉给药，每2周给药1次。使用该剂量治疗肾细胞癌、转移性黑色素瘤和非小细胞肺癌（NSCLC）直到出现疾病进展或者严重不能耐受的副作用为止。以前批准的用药剂量为：每公斤体重3mg，静脉给药，每2周给药1次。

FDA Modifies Dosage Regimen for Nivolumab

On September 13, 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) modified the dosage regimen fornivolumab (Opdivo) for the currently approved indications for renal cell carcinoma, metastatic melanoma, and non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The currently approved recommended dosage regimens were modified to 240 mg intravenously (IV) every 2 weeks.

The approval modifies the Dosage and Administration section of the labeling by replacing the single dose regimen of nivolumab (3 mg/kg intravenously every 2 weeks) with the new recommended regimen of 240 mg IV every 2 weeks until disease progression or intolerable toxicity for renal cell carcinoma, metastatic melanoma, and NSCLC.

In addition, the nivolumab dosing regimen in combination with ipilimumab for melanoma will remain the same (nivolumab 1 mg/kg IV, followed by ipilimumab on the same day, every 3 weeks for 4 doses). However, after completion of ipilimumab, the recommended nivolumab dose will be 240 mg every 2 weeks until disease progression or intolerable toxicity. The recommended dose for classical Hodgkin lymphoma remains 3 mg/kg IV, every 2 weeks until disease progression or intolerable toxicity.

The approval was based on population pharmacokinetics analyses and dose/exposure-response analyses demonstrating the comparability of the pharmacokinetics exposure, safety, and efficacy of the proposed new dosing regimen with the previously approved regimen.

Based on simulations by the population pharmacokinetics model, the FDA determined that the overall exposure at 240 mg every 2 weeks’ flat dose is similar (less than 6% difference) to 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks. These differences in exposure are not likely to have a clinically meaningful effect on safety and efficacy, since dose/exposure response relationships appear to be relatively flat in these three indications.