The standard-of-care (SOC) first-line treatment for patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer is chemotherapy with a platinum-based agent and paclitaxel, with or without bevacizumab, and with addition of an anti-PD-1 antibody in those with a PD-L1 combined positive score (CPS) ≥1. Now, data from the phase III COMPASSION-16 trial show that addition of the PD-1 × CTLA4 bispecific antibody cadonilimab to chemotherapy plus bevacizumab improves outcomes in this setting.

In this trial, conducted in China, 445 women were randomly allocated (1:1) to receive first-line chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab plus either cadonilimab or placebo. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were the co-primary end points.