Nivolumab (PD-1) + AVD Delivers 2-year PFS ~78% in HIV-Associated Advanced cHL (S1826 subset)

Nivolumab is a PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor combined here with AVD chemotherapy (doxorubicin, vinblastine, dacarbazine) and was tested against brentuximab vedotin (CD30-directed ADC) + AVD in the international Phase 3 S1826 trial (NCT03907488) in newly diagnosed advanced-stage HIV-associated classic Hodgkin lymphoma requiring CD4 ≥200 cells/µL and suppressed viral load on ART. Among 16 eligible people with HIV (N+AVD n=11; BV+AVD n=5), 2-year PFS was 77.9% with N+AVD vs 75.0% with BV+AVD; 2-year OS was 85.7% vs 75.0% at median follow-up 32.7 vs 26.7 months, broadly in the range expected with curative-intent chemoimmunotherapy in HIV-HL (guidelines still commonly anchor advanced-stage HIV-HL around 6 cycles of ABVD/BEACOPP in appropriate patients). Grade ≥3 AEs occurred in 45% (N+AVD) vs 50% (BV+AVD), with febrile neutropenia and severe infections noted more often on BV+AVD—directionally consistent with the larger all-comer S1826 signal favoring N+AVD on efficacy (HR ~0.45 for progression/death reported for the overall population) and tolerability.