# Avelumab

Source: https://onco.cc/drugs/avelumab/  
OnCo record `avelumab` (Treatment). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

Avelumab is a PD-L1 blocker given as maintenance after chemotherapy for advanced bladder cancer, which lengthened survival by about seven months.

## Summary

Avelumab is a fully human IgG1 antibody against PD-L1 with an intact Fc region, so it can trigger antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity as well as releasing the checkpoint brake. Its main role is maintenance after first-line platinum in advanced urothelial cancer: JAVELIN Bladder 100 showed OS 21.4 versus 14.3 months (HR 0.69), which made avelumab maintenance the standard after platinum in 2020. It is also approved in Merkel cell carcinoma and, with axitinib, in renal cell carcinoma. The maintenance role has been largely displaced in first-line urothelial cancer by EV plus pembrolizumab, but remains relevant where that combination is unavailable or contraindicated. Grade 3 or higher immune-related events occurred in 7%; Merck KGaA and Pfizer developed it. Starting immunotherapy straight after chemotherapy, rather than waiting for relapse, lengthened survival by about seven months.

## Fields

- Kind: Treatment
- Status: approved
- Last checked: 2026-09-07
- Brand: Bavencio
- Modality: Monoclonal antibody (anti-PD-L1)
- Mechanism: Fully human IgG1 anti-PD-L1 with intact Fc (ADCC-capable).
- Approvals: US 2017: Merkel cell carcinoma; urothelial cancer after platinum (accelerated); US 2020: Maintenance after first-line platinum in advanced urothelial cancer
- Dosing: Intravenous; 800 mg every 2 weeks until progression, started within 10 weeks of last chemotherapy
- Toxicity (grade 3+): Immune-related grade 3+ 7%

## Sources

- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avelumab
- FDA label (DailyMed): https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/search.cfm?query=Avelumab

## Connected records

- cancers: [Bladder & urothelial cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/urothelial/), [Colorectal cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/colorectal/), [Early triple-negative breast cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/tnbc-early/), [Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia](https://onco.cc/cancers/gestational-trophoblastic/), [High-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (FIGO score 7 or more, including ultra-high-risk)](https://onco.cc/cancers/high-risk-gtn/), [Low-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (FIGO score 0 to 6)](https://onco.cc/cancers/low-risk-gtn/), [Merkel cell carcinoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/merkel-cell-carcinoma/), [Renal cell carcinoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/rcc/), [Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)](https://onco.cc/cancers/tnbc/)
- technologies: [Immune checkpoint inhibitors](https://onco.cc/technologies/checkpoint-inhibitor/)
- targets: [PD-L1](https://onco.cc/targets/pdl1/)
- companies: [Merck KGaA (EMD Serono)](https://onco.cc/companies/merck-kgaa/), [Pfizer (incl. Seagen)](https://onco.cc/companies/pfizer/)
- trials: [A Study of the Safety and Efficacy of Various Combinations of Avelumab as Therapy in Locally Advanced or Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma (JAVELIN Bladder Medley)](https://onco.cc/trials/nct05327530/), [A-BRAVE](https://onco.cc/trials/a-brave/), [Avelumab Program Rollover Study](https://onco.cc/trials/nct03815643/), [CAVE mCRC](https://onco.cc/trials/cave/), [Continued Access Study for Participants Deriving Benefit in Pfizer-Sponsored Avelumab Parent Studies That Are Closing](https://onco.cc/trials/nct05059522/), [JAVELIN Bladder 100](https://onco.cc/trials/javelin-bladder-100/), [JAVELIN Merkel 200](https://onco.cc/trials/javelin-merkel-200/), [Phase Ib/II of TG4001 and Avelumab in HPV16 Positive R/M Cancers](https://onco.cc/trials/nct03260023/), [QUILT-3.055: A Study of Combination Immunotherapies in Patients Who Have Previously Received Treatment With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors](https://onco.cc/trials/nct03228667/), [Rational treatment selection for Merkel cell carcinoma](https://onco.cc/trials/mcc-rational-treatment/), [Study of AU-007, A Monoclonal Antibody That Binds to IL-2 and Inhibits IL-2Rα Binding, in Patients With Unresectable Locally Advanced or Metastatic Ca](https://onco.cc/trials/nct05267626/), [Study of Sacituzumab Govitecan in Participants With Urothelial Cancer That Cannot Be Removed or Has Spread](https://onco.cc/trials/nct03547973/), [Testing the Combination of New Anti-cancer Drug Peposertib With Avelumab and Radiation Therapy for Advanced/Metastatic Solid Tumors and Hepatobiliary Malignancies](https://onco.cc/trials/nct04068194/), [TROPHIMMUN](https://onco.cc/trials/trophimmun/)
- key papers: [JAVELIN Bladder 100: avelumab maintenance after first-line platinum chemotherapy in advanced urothelial cancer](https://onco.cc/key-papers/paper-javelin-bladder-100-nejm-2020/), [TROPHIMMUN cohort A: avelumab in gestational trophoblastic tumours resistant to single-agent chemotherapy](https://onco.cc/key-papers/paper-trophimmun-avelumab-chemoresistant-gtn-you-jco-2020/)
- terms: [Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) status](https://onco.cc/terms/mcpyv-status/)
- pathways: [Bladder cancer (KEGG map)](https://onco.cc/pathways/bladder-cancer-signalling/), [Oncogenic viruses](https://onco.cc/pathways/oncogenic-viruses/)

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