Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) is a US biopharmaceutical company with a history spanning over 130 years, today most recognized for its foundational role in developing immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. BMS scientists were central to discovering the mechanism of CTLA-4 blockade — leading to ipilimumab (Yervoy), the first FDA-approved checkpoint inhibitor in 2011 — and shortly after brought nivolumab (Opdivo), a PD-1 inhibitor, to market. These two agents, used alone and in combination, form the backbone of an immuno-oncology program that spans multiple cancer types and dozens of active Phase 2–3 trials.
Beyond oncology, BMS has significant trial activity in cardiovascular disease (apixaban/Eliquis outcomes studies; investigational fibrin-targeting agents), immunology and fibrosis (iberdomide, mezagitamab for autoimmune diseases), and hematology (including CAR-T therapies through its Celgene acquisition, such as lisocabtagene maraleucel and idecabtagene vicleucel for blood cancers). The Celgene acquisition in 2019 substantially expanded BMS's pipeline, adding multiple myeloma, myelodysplastic syndromes, and lymphoma programs.
BMS conducts clinical research at academic and community sites across more than 50 countries. The company participates in several precision medicine consortia that match patients to trials based on tumor genomic profiling. BMS has also expanded the use of decentralized trial elements — including remote visits, home nursing, and electronic patient-reported outcomes — to reduce the burden of participation for patients with serious illness.