Exploring Novel Therapeutic Combination Strategies in Kidney Cancer

Eric Jonasch, MD, spoke with CancerNetwork® at the 2025 Kidney Cancer Research Summit about ongoing initiatives from the Kidney Cancer Research Consortium, a program that he leads to facilitate new research efforts in kidney cancer management. He highlighted the structure and mission of the Kidney Cancer Research Consortium as part of an oral presentation at the meeting.

Regarding specific sets of ongoing trials, Jonasch, a professor in the Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology of the Division of Cancer Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, stated that current efforts include combining base immune-modulating agents, such as nivolumab [Opdivo] plus ipilimumab [Yervoy] or cabozantinib [Cabometyx] plus nivolumab, with novel therapeutic agents. For example, investigators of one trial are assessing the efficacy of LAG3 inhibition; another study is combining the investigational radioisotope lutetium-177 (177Lu) girentuximab with a standard immunotherapy tyrosine kinase inhibitor (IO-TKI) backbone. According to Jonash, this set of trials may help provide the field with “better answers for better treatments” in diseases like renal cell carcinoma.

Transcript:

One of the examples of trials, or sets of trials, that is more likely to provide us better answers for better treatments [focus on] our immune-modulating agents. We have a suite of studies where we’re looking at the base immune therapy combinations—for example, ipilimumab plus nivolumab, or cabozantinib plus nivolumab. Then, we’re adding novel agents onto these regimens. For example, we’ve just completed a study with an A2A receptor inhibitor. We’re also now in the midst of doing a study with relatlimab-rmbw, which is the LAG3 inhibitor. We also have another study where we’re using an IO-TKI backbone, and we’re adding lutetium-177 girentuximab, which is another novel agent. Those are 3 examples of studies where we’re trying to improve on existing study platforms to develop better therapy for patients with renal cell carcinoma.

Reference

Jonasch E. Building the infrastructure for discovery: a clinical trial consortium to accelerate kidney cancer research. Presented at the 2025 Kidney Cancer Research Summit; July 17-18, 2025; Boston, MA.