DEBIO 1143 + nivolumab

This is a combination therapy of **DEBIO 1143** (also known as **xevinapant**), a first-in-class oral inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAP inhibitor or SMAC mimetic), and **nivolumab** (brand name **Opdivo**), a monoclonal antibody immune checkpoint inhibitor that blocks PD-1. DEBIO 1143 promotes programmed cell death in tumor cells and fosters anti-tumor immunity, while nivolumab enhances immune-mediated tumor killing by blocking the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) pathway. This combination is under clinical investigation for patients with advanced solid tumors—particularly **small cell lung cancer (SCLC)**, **squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN)**, **gastrointestinal cancers with MSI-H/MMRd or DNA damage repair defects**, and **gynecological cancers with similar genomic alterations**—who have progressed during or after anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy. The rationale is that IAP inhibition by DEBIO 1143 may synergistically augment the efficacy of immunotherapy with nivolumab, especially in tumors resistant to immune checkpoint inhibitors[1][2][3][4][5][6].

Brand names

Opdivo

Other names

DEBIO 1143 + nivolumab