New Opdivo use in early lung cancer set for adoption in UK

US drugmaker Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) says England, Wales and Northern Ireland are set to offer Opdivo (nivolumab) with platinum-based chemotherapy before surgery, then Opdivo alone afterward, for certain adults with resectable non-small cell lung cancer at higher risk of recurrence.

The company is pointing to final draft guidance from the UK’s health technology assessor for tumors that are resectable and lack EGFR mutations or ALK rearrangements, positioning the regimen as a standard option around surgery rather than a last resort for later disease.

Bristol Myers said the recommendation follows a 2025 authorization by the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and would be funded through routine commissioning by NHS England, a practical detail that often determines whether a “yes” quickly turns into real-world use.