Axitinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, platelet-derived growth factor receptor-α, and c-kit. The trial of comparative effectiveness of axitinib versus sorafenib in advanced renal cell carcinoma (AXIS) was an international randomized Phase III study designed for registration purposes. This trial randomized 723 metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients with any prognostic features to axitinib or sorafenib in the second-line setting and demonstrated significant clinical benefit of axitinib.