Cancer Drug: Opdivo, Also Known As Nivolumab

Student Name Professor Name Course Date Cancer Drug Opdivo, also known as Nivolumab, is a pharmaceutical drug used for treating cancer. The medication acts as a first-line treatment for metastatic or inoperable melanoma and can be used alone or in combination with ipilimumab. Opdivo is combined with ipilimumab or another similar medication only when cancer doesn’t have any mutation in BRAF, but if it has a mutation. Then neither Opdivo nor ipilimumab will benefit the patient (Neidle 14). On December 20, 2017, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) granted regular approval to Opdivo, and the drug is now developed by Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, acting as an adjuvant treatment of patients having melanoma or metastatic disease. Previously, Nivolumab was approved for treating patients with metastatic melanoma or unresectable, and the medication was not allowed to be used for cancer treatment (Miles 15). Opdivo helps T-cells identify and attack cancer cells and block those cells’ ability to divide themselves. As a...