Roche unveils strong combination treatment data in lung cancer
pharmafile | November 20, 2017 | News story | Research and Development, Sales and Marketing | Cancer, NSCLC< lung cancer, Roche, avastin, immunotherapy, pharma, tecentriq
Roche has unveiled new Phase 3 efficacy data which showed strong findings for its immunotherapy Tecentriq (atezolizumab) in combination with Avastin and chemotherapy in the treatment of lung cancer.
The company revealed the findings of its Impower 150 trial into the use of Tecentriq, Avastin and chemotherapy in combination as a first-line treatment of people with advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). According to Roche, they demonstrated a “statistically significant and clinically meaningful reduction” in the risk of disease progression or death compared to Avastin and chemotherapy alone.
“We are extremely encouraged by these results and will submit these data to health authorities globally with the goal of bringing a potential new standard of care for the initial treatment of lung cancer,” said Sandra Horning, MD, Roche’s Chief Medical Officer and Head of Global Product Development. “In addition to first-line NSCLC, we are testing the ability of Tecentriq and Avastin to enhance the potential of the immune system to combat a broad range of other cancers.”
The company did note that the results are “not fully mature”, with an analysis into overall survival benefit expected in the first half of 2018.
When announced alongside new data on the company’s haemophilia treatment Hemlibra – a therapy which just days ago scored US approval with the FDA – the news shook up share prices in the space, with haemophilia rivals Shire dropping 2% and AstraZeneca falling 0.5%, while Roche’s own shares rose by 5.6%.
Matt Fellows
Related Content
LGC Group opens $100M Organic Chemistry Synthesis Centre of Excellence
LGC Group, a life sciences company, has opened its new Organic Chemistry Synthesis Centre of …
CuraCell granted approval for trial of new therapy for metastatic cancers
Swedish immunotherapy company, CuraCell, has received approval from the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut in Germany to begin a …
Central nervous system cancer metastases – the evolution of diagnostics and treatment
The current forms of immunotherapy, how T cell therapy works and what the future holds
