Bristol Myers Squibb Advances Opdivo/Yervoy in China Mesothelioma Trial, Signaling New Oncology Upside

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY) announced an update on their ongoing clinical study.

Bristol Myers Squibb’s China Mesothelioma Trial Reaches Key Milestone

Study Overview: Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY) is running a Phase 2 study in China called “A Phase II, Randomized, Open-label Trial of Nivolumab in Combination With Ipilimumab Versus Pemetrexed With Cisplatin or Carboplatin as First-line Therapy for Unresectable Pleural Mesothelioma in Chinese Participants.” The goal is to see if combining two immunotherapy drugs can offer better outcomes and safety than standard chemotherapy for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma who cannot have surgery, a high‑need niche where treatment options remain limited.

Intervention/Treatment: The test group receives a mix of two immunotherapies, nivolumab (Opdivo) and ipilimumab (Yervoy), designed to boost the body’s immune system to attack cancer. The comparison group gets current standard chemotherapy: pemetrexed plus either cisplatin or carboplatin, aimed at slowing or shrinking the cancer through traditional anti-tumor effects.

Study Design: This is an interventional Phase 2 trial with patients randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups, so each participant has an equal chance to receive the immunotherapy combo or chemotherapy. It uses a parallel design, meaning the two groups are treated and followed at the same time. The study is open-label, so both doctors and patients know which drugs are being used. The main purpose is treatment-focused, to see which option works better and is tolerable as first-line care.

Study Timeline: The study was first submitted on November 18, 2021, marking the start of formal regulatory review and signaling BMY’s commitment to expanding its oncology footprint in China. The trial is listed as completed, indicating that patient treatment and follow-up for primary outcomes have finished, although no results have been posted yet. The latest update was submitted on January 22, 2026, which shows that sponsor records and trial status have been recently refreshed, an important timing cue for investors watching for data disclosure and potential label or guideline implications.

Market Implications: For investors, this update suggests BMY is advancing its Opdivo/Yervoy franchise into another hard-to-treat cancer and a key growth region. A positive readout versus chemotherapy in Chinese mesothelioma patients could support deeper penetration of BMY’s immuno-oncology portfolio in Asia, extend the lifecycle of Opdivo and Yervoy, and reinforce the company’s broader lung and thoracic cancer strategy. While the patient population is small, successful results may strengthen BMY’s competitive stance against Merck (Keytruda) and other checkpoint inhibitor players by adding another differentiated indication and showing local data in China, a priority for regulators and payers. In the near term, the absence of posted results means the direct impact on valuation is limited, but the recent trial status update keeps expectations alive for upcoming data that could influence sentiment toward BMY’s long-term oncology revenue mix and regional growth narrative.

The study is completed and recently updated, with more details to be made available on the ClinicalTrials portal as results are posted.

To learn more about BMY’s potential, visit the Bristol-Myers Squibb Company drug pipeline page.