CheckMate-8HW is a Phase 3 trial of nivolumab (Opdivo) plus ipilimumab (Yervoy) in microsatellite-instability-high or mismatch-repair-deficient (MSI-H/dMMR) metastatic colorectal cancer. As first-line therapy, nivolumab-ipilimumab dramatically improved progression-free survival versus chemotherapy (median not reached vs 5.8 months; HR 0.21). At the final analysis of overall survival, a key secondary endpoint (ESMO 2026; data cutoff May 28, 2026), nivolumab-ipilimumab significantly improved OS versus chemotherapy in the first line (HR 0.37) and versus nivolumab across all lines (HR 0.61) in patients with centrally confirmed MSI-H/dMMR status; the first-line comparison versus nivolumab (HR 0.66) did not meet its significance threshold. In April 2025 the FDA approved nivolumab plus ipilimumab for MSI-H/dMMR unresectable or metastatic colorectal cancer. Sponsor: Bristol Myers Squibb with Ono Pharmaceutical.
Discover KOL Sentiment on CheckMate-8HW →Posts by physicians about CheckMate 8HW, newest first: ESMO 2026 week (October 17–24, 2026), then earlier posts from the ASCO 2024, ASCO GI 2025 and ESMO 2025 readouts and the April 2025 FDA approval. Each post is shown in full and verbatim and linked to the original on X.
𝕏Final OS results from CheckMate 8HW: Nivo plus ipi vs nivo or CTx in MSI-H/dMMR mCRC #ESMO26 #ESMOAmbassadors 👉ORR 72% 58% 👉mOS: NR --> NI vs N HR 0.66 👉5-yr for Nivo/Ipi: 77% 🧐Convincing, Nivo + Ipi as SOC in 1L MSI CRC @myESMO @ASCO https://t.co/ni6wO1FZAW
𝕏Final overall survival results from the CheckMate 8HW in MSI-H/dMMRmCRC #ESMO26 @OncoAlert https://t.co/Bl7IAeSxpH
𝕏🚨 CheckMate 8HW | #ESMO26 Dual immunotherapy delivers an OS win in MSI-H/dMMR metastatic CRC! NIVO + IPI vs NIVO (all lines): ✅ 5-year OS: 74% vs 62% ✅ OS HR 0.61 (P=0.0009) ✅ ORR: 72% vs 58% 🔥 First significant OS benefit of dual IO over single-agent IO in this setting. @ESMO_open @my_esmo @ASCO @oncoalert
𝕏CheckMate 8HW final OS at #ESMO26: NIVO+IPI in centrally confirmed MSI-H/dMMR mCRC ▪️ All lines vs NIVO: HR 0.61 (0.46–0.82), p=0.0009; 5-yr OS 74% vs 62% ▪️ 1L vs NIVO: HR 0.66 (0.44–0.99), p=0.043, missed prespecified boundary (p<0.0058); 5-yr OS 77% vs 66% ▪️ 1L vs chemo: OS HR 0.37, p<0.0001 ▪️ Median f/u ~68 mo; safety stable, low grade 3/4 #CRCSM #MSIH
NIVO + IPI vs NIVO for MSI-H/dMMR mCRC: Health-related quality of life analysis
🔎CheckMate 8HW
👉mPFS clearly improved
👉 HRQoL, less symptoms
🧐 Supports use of Nivo IPI as 1st line treatment in MSI…
JUST IN: The @US_FDA approves nivolumab with ipilimumab for unresectable or metastatic MSI-H or dMMR colorectal cancer!
News reported by @ASCO #FDAalerts https://t.co/SZySs7FXSp
Ipi/Nivo now @FDAOncology approved based off #Checkmate8HW: Ph 3, dMMR/MSI-H mCRC, Ipi (1mg/kg) + Nivo (240mg) Q3W for 4 cycles and then Nivo alone vs Nivo:
- mPFS NR for Ipi/Nivo vs 39·3 months
-…
✅Dual Immunotherapy Gets the Green Light
FDA fully approved nivolumab + ipilimumab for MSI-H/dMMR metastatic colorectal cancer — in adults and teens ≥12.
@US_FDA @OncoAlert @OncBrothers …
🔥FDA approves nivolumab with ipilimumab for unresectable or metastatic MSI-H or dMMR colorectal cancer🔥
👉based on impressive efficacy in CHECKMATE-8HW
@myESMO https://t.co/8CbFUxwa9q
The New Standard of Care in MSI-H CRC: Nivolumab + Ipilimumab
The CM-8HW trial has provided us with some important insights:
1. Discrepancy between local and central MSI testing: In the CM-8HW…
Another trial data with WIDE gap between PFS and PFS 2 curves .
Checkmate 8HW
And
Role of IO ( double vs Single IO ) in MSI high colon cancer, both metastatic and localized.
@asco #asco24…
Median: not reached (NIVO + IPI, 95% CI 38.4-NE) vs. 5.8 months (chemotherapy, 95% CI 4.4-7.8). HR 0.21 (95% CI 0.14-0.32), P<0.0001 Median PFS not reached (95% CI: 38.4 to NE) with NIVO+IPI vs. 5.8 months (95% CI: 4.4-7.8) with chemotherapy — a 79% reduction in risk of progression or death (ASCO GI 2024/2025). Analysis conducted in 255 patients with centrally confirmed MSI-H/dMMR status (of 303 based on local testing). These are primary PFS analysis figures; at extended follow-up (data cutoff May 28, 2026; ESMO 2026, descriptive) the 1L PFS HR versus chemotherapy was 0.21 (95% CI 0.14-0.32).
Final OS analysis (initiated at 3 years of minimum follow-up; data cutoff May 28, 2026; median follow-up 68.1 months across all lines and 62.8 months in the centrally confirmed 1L population) in patients with centrally confirmed MSI-H/dMMR mCRC, presented at ESMO 2026: NIVO+IPI vs NIVO, all lines (n=296 vs 286): 78 (26%) vs 111 (39%) events; medians not reached; HR 0.61 (95% CI 0.46-0.82); P=0.0009 (boundary for significance 0.0058) — statistically significant; 5-year OS 74% vs 62%; consistent with the all-randomized locally tested population (HR 0.64, 95% CI 0.51-0.81). NIVO+IPI vs chemotherapy, 1L (n=171 vs 84): 39 (23%) vs 41 (49%) events; median not reached vs 50.1 months (95% CI 31.7-NE); HR 0.37 (95% CI 0.24-0.57); P<0.0001 (boundary 0.0059) — statistically significant; 5-year OS 77% vs 46%; 79.8% (67/84) of chemo-treated patients received subsequent immunotherapy. NIVO+IPI vs NIVO, 1L (n=171 vs 170): HR 0.66 (95% CI 0.44-0.99); P=0.0432 — the prespecified threshold for statistical significance (P<0.0058) was not met; 5-year OS 77% vs 66%. Earlier cut: the ESMO 2025 descriptive analysis (Sara Lonardi) reported NIVO+IPI vs NIVO across all lines HR 0.61 (95% CI 0.45-0.83) with OS still immature. FDA approval (April 2025) was based on PFS; OS data were not available at the time of the interim PFS analysis per the FDA approval document.
Grade ≥3 adverse events: 22.0% (nivo_ipi) vs. 14.0% (nivo_mono). Higher Grade ≥3 TRAE rate with NIVO+IPI than NIVO monotherapy but well-managed and consistent with established checkpoint inhibitor combinations. No new safety signals identified. (ASCO GI / ESMO)
Regulatory status & clinical implications — FDA APPROVED — NIVO+IPI for MSI-H/dMMR unresectable/metastatic CRC; CheckMate-8HW supported the April 2025 first-line approval; not indicated for MSS disease. (FDA.gov) New 1L SOC for MSI-H/dMMR mCRC: CheckMate-8HW establishes NIVO+IPI as a 1L standard for MSI-H/dMMR mCRC, building on KEYNOTE-177 (pembrolizumab monotherapy) benchmark. Superior PFS vs. both chemotherapy and NIVO alone. Choice between NIVO+IPI and pembrolizumab monotherapy in MSI-H mCRC balances efficacy depth vs. IR AE burden.
Sponsor / Drug — Bristol Myers Squibb with Ono Pharmaceutical; nivolumab (Opdivo, anti-PD-1) + ipilimumab (Yervoy, anti-CTLA-4). (FDA label)
Compiled and reviewed by the KOL Pulse research team, led by Brian Shields, Founder, KOL Pulse. Last updated October 24, 2026.
Design — Phase 3, randomized; nivolumab (Opdivo) + ipilimumab (Yervoy) vs chemotherapy (1L) and vs nivolumab monotherapy, MSI-H/dMMR metastatic colorectal cancer (NCT04008030). (ASCO GI 2024/2025; ESMO 2025)
Results, safety and regulatory status are in At a Glance.
CheckMate-8HW (NCT04008030) is a Phase 3, randomized trial of nivolumab (Opdivo) plus ipilimumab (Yervoy) versus chemotherapy (first line) and versus nivolumab monotherapy in MSI-H/dMMR metastatic colorectal cancer, sponsored by Bristol Myers Squibb with Ono Pharmaceutical. See Trial Design.
First-line nivolumab plus ipilimumab improved progression-free survival versus chemotherapy (HR 0.21). At the final overall survival analysis (ESMO 2026), it significantly improved OS versus chemotherapy in the first line and versus nivolumab across all lines; the first-line comparison versus nivolumab did not meet its significance threshold. Figures and sources: At a Glance.
Yes. CheckMate-8HW supported the April 2025 FDA approval of nivolumab plus ipilimumab for MSI-H/dMMR unresectable or metastatic colorectal cancer; it is not indicated for microsatellite-stable disease. See At a Glance.
It positions nivolumab plus ipilimumab as a first-line option alongside the pembrolizumab-monotherapy benchmark from KEYNOTE-177, with clinicians weighing depth of response against immune-related toxicity. See At a Glance.
Grade 3 or higher adverse events were more frequent with the combination than with nivolumab alone, with no new safety signals; immune-related adverse events need standard monitoring. Rates: At a Glance.