In this video from Motley Fool Live, recorded on March 29, Fool.com contributors Brian Orelli and Keith Speights discuss how Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) can maximize the value of its LAG-3 inhibitor, relatlimab, now that the pharmaceutical company has shown it works with its PD-1 drug, Opdivo. On the flip side, the loser here could be Merck (NYSE: MRK), which has a PD-1 drug, Keytruda, but is currently lagging Bristol Myers Squibb in the LAG-3 arena. 10 stocks we like better than Bristol Myers SquibbWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the ten best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Bristol Myers Squibb wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of February 24, 2021 Brian Orelli: I counted seven different programs in phase 2 for drugs that are targeting LAG-3: Incyte; Merck; Regeneron; Novartis, which is working with Immutep; and I think Immutep has one on their own; and there are some others. Merck really stood out there since it has Keytruda, which competes with Opdivo. They're obviously combining [Bristol Myers Squibb's] LAG-3 with Opdivo. But Keytruda has really been taking market share, I think, from Opdivo in the PD-1 space. This really seems like the data that shows that Bristol's LAG-3 and Opdivo works well in melanoma, might give it a fighting chance to look at other indications before Merck has a chance to catch up. Keith Speights: Yeah. I would agree. Merck and Bristol Myers Squibb are the top two players in PD-1 right now. But Keytruda, like you said, has emerged as the bigger winner in the head-to-head battle against Opdivo. But the next frontier for immunotherapies, I think, are in combination therapies, and we've already seen several combos win approval already, more likely on the way. But Bristol's lead in anti-LAG-3 could give it a pretty significant competitive advantage in the near future, and I think it's one that the company could really use. I think this could end up helping boost Opdivo's market position against Keytruda, if we see combo therapies come out.Brian Orelli, PhD has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Keith Speights owns shares of Bristol Myers Squibb. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Bristol Myers Squibb. The Motley Fool recommends Incyte. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.Source