Pilot Study of Nivolumab w/Ipilimumab or Relatlimab in Surgically Resectable Melanoma Brain Metastases

Nivolumab is a monoclonal antibody o PD-1 protein, which is normally express on the surface of activated T cells. The interaction of PD-1 with its ligand (PD-L1) on T cells decreases their cytotoxic activity, helping protect normal cells in the setting of chronic inflammation. Tumor cells can utilize mechanisms to evade T cell mediated cytotoxicity by expressing PD-L1 on their surface or on the surface of T cells. Nivo, by blocking the interaction between PD-1 and its ligands, PD-L1 and PD-L2, allows T cells to remain active.

Ipilimumab is a recombinant, human antibody to CTLA-4.\[18-20\] CTLA-4 regulates T cell activation by binding with CD80 or CD86 with higher affinity than CD28, resulting in blockage of the co-stimulation signal and preventing further T cell activation. Blockade of CTLA-4 results in further T cell activation.

Opdualag (Nivolumab and Relatlimab-rmbw) is a human monoclonal antibody to LAG-3, currently under investigation.\[6\] Relatlimab is an antibody (IgG4 isotype) that has a stabilizing hinge mutation for attenuated Fc receptor binding to decrease or get rid of the possibility of antibody-mediated and/or complement-mediated target cell killing. Rela binds to an epitope on LAG-3 with high affinity and specificity, with subsequent blockade of LAG-3 and its interaction with its ligand, MHC class II. This antibody displays compelling in vitro functional activity in reversing LAG-3 that facilitates inhibition of an antigen-specific murine T cell hybridoma overexpressing human LAG-3 . Relatlimab was also shown to improve the activation of human T cells in superantigen stimulation assays when added either alone or in combination with Nivolumab.

Participants will undergo craniotomy for surgical resection of melanoma brain metastases.