March 20 (Reuters) - Bristol Myers Squibb ( BMY ) said

on Wednesday a combination of Opdivo and Yervoy met the main

goal of a late-stage study evaluating it as an initial treatment

for a type of liver cancer.

The results bolster the company's efforts to expand the use

for the blockbuster drugs that are set to lose their market

exclusivity before the end of the decade.

The treatment, tested in patients with advanced

hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), met the main goal of a

668-patient trial by extending survival compared to Eisai's ( ESALF )

Lenvima or Bayer's Nexavar.

Bristol Myers will complete a full evaluation of the data

and share the results at an upcoming medical conference, as well

as discuss with health authorities.

HCC occurs in about 85% of patients diagnosed with

cirrhosis, and is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related

mortality worldwide, according to U.S. government data.

Opdivo plus Yervoy is already approved to treat cancers of

the skin, lung, kidney, colon and esophagus. The combination is

also used to treat HCC patients who have been given Nexavar.

Opdivo, which is one of the top sellers for Bristol Myers,

brought in $9.01 billion in revenue in 2023, while Yervoy earned

$2.24 billion in the same period.