Dr. Pal on the Rationale for the TIVO-3 Trial With Tivozanib in Advanced RCC

Sumanta K. Pal, MD, an associate clinical professor, Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutics Research; co-director, Kidney Cancer Program; and a medical oncologist with City of Hope, discusses the rationale behind the phase 3 TIVO-3 trial with tivozanib (Fotivda) in advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Tivozanib has a long history in kidney cancer, says Pal. Initially, the drug was looked at in the frontline setting and showed substantial activity based on data from the phase 3 TIVO-1 study. Unfortunately, because of the crossover design and other elements of design in the study, a survival benefit was not established in the frontline trial, adds Pal.

As such, it was mandated that further exploration with tivozanib occur, which led to the genesis of the TIVO-3 study. This trial compared tivozanib with sorafenib (Nexavar) in the third- and fourth-line setting in patients with RCC, concludes Pal.