Lung Cancer Update April 2021
With the World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) 2020 completed last January, several new and clinical relevant phase 2 and phase 3 studies on Lung Cancer have been published. We summarised some key data for you.
What is new in the treatment of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)? Read our lung cancer blog and learn more about the latest advancements in the treatment of NSCLC and SCLC.
Osimertinib approved as the first adjuvant treatment for early non-small cell lung cancer
Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death. In East Asian non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations occur in 40-55% of lung adenocarcinomas.
Cabotegravir and rilpivirine intramuscular combination safe in women
Women account for a disproportionate percentage of new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections in sub-Saharan Africa, comprising 59% of 18 million new adult HIV infections in 2017.
HCV-infected kidneys safe for transplantation with antiviral treatment
Kidney transplants are the best treatment for end-stage renal disease (ESRD), with better survival outcomes than haemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. However, in Hong Kong as well as much of the rest of the world, there is an increasing gap between the number of patients requiring a transplant and the number of organs available.
Baloxavir marboxil recommended as post-exposure prophylaxis to influenza by EMA
Seasonal influenza is common between January to March, and July to August in Hong Kong. Baloxavir marboxil is the first influenza antiviral with a novel mechanism of action to be approved in almost two decades, and was registered for use in Hong Kong in February 2019.
US FDA approved immune-checkpoint inhibitors updated 08-Dec-2020
Know all the United States Food and Drug Administration (U.S. FDA) approved immune-checkpoint inhibitors. Members of MediPaper can download the free PPT slides summarising the U.S. FDA approved immune-checkpoint inhibitors and other U.S. FDA approved immunotherapies.
ASCO Guidelines for the Use of Systemic Therapies in Advanced Hepatocellular Cancer
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for 80% of all liver cancers, and 55% of all HCC cases worldwide are reported from China. In Hong Kong, liver cancer is the fourth most common cancer and the third most common cause of cancer death.
Sotorasib for the treatment of KRASG12C mutated lung cancer
RAS is the most frequently mutated gene family in cancers, with KRAS mutations being involved as a driver in three of the most lethal cancers – lung cancer, colorectal cancer, and pancreatic cancer. Incidence of KRAS mutations vary between ethnicity with Caucasians having a higher incidence than African-Americans or Asians. In non-small lung cancer (NSCLC), the most common KRAS mutation is G12C. In Asia, G12C mutations in particular account for 14.5% of KRAS mutations in the Chinese population. KRAS G12C was identified in 4.3% of lung cancer samples and 2.5% of colorectal cancer samples.
Capmatinib therapy for the treatment of MET-positive non-small cell lung cancer
A number of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are now available for the treatment of various types of non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC), including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-rearranged NSCLC. However, amplification of the MET gene, which codes for the hepatocyte growth factor receptor (HGFR), has been found to be one of the most prominent mechanisms of secondary resistance to EGFR TKIs. Similarly, the MET exon 14 (METex14) mutation has also emerged as a potential tumour driver due to its role in cancer proliferation, and thus also a promising target for NSCLC.
Selpercatinib displays efficacy in RET fusion-positive non-small cell lung cancer
Aberrant RET activation has shown to be a clinical driver of tumour growth and proliferation. It is reported that 1-2% of non-small cell lung cancer patients have activating RET fusions. Clinical characteristics of these patients are generally younger (<60 years) with minimal or no smoking history, and frequent presentation with brain metastases at diagnosis of advanced disease. RET mutations are mutually exclusive with other common lung cancer genetic abberations, such as reported for KRAS, EGFR, and ALK.
First liquid biopsy for NSCLC to receive FDA approval
The development of new targeted therapies for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in recent years has changed the standard of care for the later stages of NSCLC in specific population groups.
ESMO releases the first guideline on NGS testing in cancers
Precision therapies were first approved for cancer in 1998, when trastuzumab was approved for HER2+ breast cancer, opening the door for other targeted therapies such as imatinib for Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myelogenous leukaemia.
ASCO 2020 Lung, Breast, and Liver Cancer Update
This year, ASCO 2020 was held as a virtual conference due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a summary of key trials presented at ASCO, focusing primarily on breast cancer, liver cancer, and lung cancer.
ASCO 2019 Lung Cancer: 36 Oral Presentations of the ASCO19 lung cancer track summarised
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was a key feature of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2019 annual meeting. This year, exciting results with neoadjuvant immunotherapy (I-O) from the LCMC3, NEOSTAR, and GECP16/03_NADIM studies as well as combinations of I-O and PARP-inhibitors with chemoradiation therapy, and more. A summary of 36 oral presentations on NSCLC, SCLC, and Mesothelioma.
Atezolizumab FDA approved for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC)
On 18 March 2019, the FDA approved atezolizumab (Tecentriq®, Genentech) plus carboplatin and etoposide as front-line treatment of adult extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) patients.
Frontline atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and chemotherapy FDA approved for metastatic non-squamous NSCLC
On 6 December 2018, the FDA approved atezolizumab (Tecentriq®, Roche/Genentech) plus bevacizumab and chemotherapy with paclitaxel and carboplatin for the frontline treatment of metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSq NSCLC) patients not harbouring any EGFR or ALK genomic tumour aberrations.
Lorlatinib FDA approved for metastatic ALK-positive NSCLC
On November 2nd 2018, lorlatinib (LORBRENA®, Pfizer) received accelerated approval by the FDA for the second- and third-line treatment of patients with metastatic, anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Third-line patients should have had progression on crizotinib and another ALK-inhibitor for metastatic disease, and second-line patients should have had progression on either alectinib or ceritinib in the first-line for metastatic disease.
Pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy approved for metastatic squamous NSCLC
On October 30th 2018, the FDA approved the use of programmed death 1 (PD-1) inhibitor pembrolizumab (Keytruda®, Merck) in combination with carboplatin plus paclitaxel or nab-paclitaxel for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Anti-PD1 sintilimab plus biosimilar bevacizumab receive IND-status by China NMPA
SUZHOU, China, Oct. 14, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — The combination therapy of novel programmed death 1 (PD-1) antibody IBI308 (sintilimab, Innovent Biologics) with biosimilar bevacizumab antibody IBI305 (Innovent Biologics) has received the investigational new drug (IND) application for clinical development approval by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA, formerly known as CFDA) in China.
IMpower133: first-line atezolizumab plus chemotherapy in extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer
Atezolizumab (Tecentriq®, Roche/Genentech) plus standard chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) was associated with a significantly longer overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) when compared with chemotherapy alone.
Pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy effective in squamous NSCLC
Pembrolizumab (Keytruda®, Merck) in combination with chemotherapy was associated with longer overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) when compared to placebo plus chemotherapy in patients with untreated metastatic squamous cell non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Brigatinib prolongs PFS compared to crizotinib in ALK-Positive NSCLC
Brigatinib (Alunbrig®, Ariad) significantly prolongs the progression-free survival (PFS) in anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitor-naïve patients with ALK-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) when compared to crizotinib, as resulted from the ALTA-1L study.
JAVELIN Lung 200: avelumab vs docetaxel for pretreated NSCLC
Avelumab (Bavencio®, Merck KGaA) does not improve the overall survival (OS) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients previously treated with platinum-doublet chemotherapy, as resulted from the JAVELIN Lung 200 study (NCT02395172). The safety profile favoured avelumab over docetaxel.
Dacomitinib FDA approved for the first-line treatment of metastatic EGFR-mutated NSCLC
On September 27, 2018, the FDA approved dacomitinib (Vizimpro®, Pfizer) as first-line treatment for patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harbouring epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 19 deletions (ex19del) or exon 21 L858R mutations as confirmed by an FDA-approved test.
Frontline atezolizumab plus chemotherapy improves PFS in NSCLC
An interim analysis of the Phase III IMpower132 study showed that atezolizumab (Tecentriq®, Roche/Genentech) plus platinum-based chemotherapy (cisplatin or carboplatin) with pemetrexed improves the median progression-free survival (PFS) in treatment-naïve patients with non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The median PFS for atezolizumab plus pemetrexed and a platinum salt was 7.6 months vs 5.2 months with chemotherapy alone (HR=0.60, 95% CI: 0.49-0.72; p<0.0001).
First-line osimertinib vs EGFR-TKI in Asian patients with advanced NSCLC
First-line osimertinib was associated with a clinically meaningful progression-free survival (PFS) improvement when compared to a standard-of-care (SOC) epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) in a sub-analysis of Asian patients who participated in the FLAURA trial (NCT02296125).
© Eraxion / 123RF Stock PhotoCapmatinib plus gefitinib promising in MET-dysregulated NSCLC
The combination capmatinib (INC280, Novartis) plus gefitinib (Iressa®, AstraZeneca) showed promising, early phase efficacy in patients with mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (MET)-dysregulated and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Plasma TMB predicts response to atezolizumab in NSCLC patients
A high tumour mutational burden in the plasma (bTMB) is a clinically actionable biomarker for atezolizumab (Tencentriq®, Roche) treatment in patients who failed 1st-line platinum-based therapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
© luchschen / 123RF Stock PhotoFirst-in-Class Oncology Vaccine BIL06v Starts Phase 1 Evaluation
Biosceptre has announced the initiation of its Phase 1 clinical study with the peptide vaccine BIL06v. BIL06v is a peptide-protein conjugate that recruits the patient’s immune system to make antibodies specifically targeted at nfP2X7-expressing cancer cells resulting in tumour cell death.
© FDANivolumab FDA approved for patients with metastatic small cell lung cancer (SCLC)
On the 16th of August 2018, the FDA granted accelerated approval to nivolumab (Opdivo®, Bristol-Myers Squibb) for use in patients with metastatic small cell lung cancer (SCLC) who progressed after two lines of therapy, including one line of platinum-based chemotherapy.
Pembrolizumab plus pemetrexed-platinum FDA approved for first-line treatment of metastatic non-squamous NSCLC
On 20th of August 2018, the FDA granted regular approval for pembrolizumab (Keytruda®, Merck) plus pemetrexed and a platinum salt in the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic, non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), not harbouring any EGFR or ALK genomic tumour aberrations.
©Alex011973 / 123RF Stock PhotoPan-EGFR TKI pirotinib has commenced into Phase II clinical testing in China
HONG KONG, CHINA – 13 August 2018 – Sihuan Pharmaceutical Holdings Group Ltd. (HKEx: 0460), announced that its innovative in-house developed oncology drug pirotinib has commenced into Phase II Clinical testing in China following the completion of a Phase I clinical trial in three renowned cancer research centres in the United States.
© srr283/123RFOsimertinib in patients with T790M-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer and brain metastases (AURA3)
Osimertinib is active in the second-line treatment of patients with T790M-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and central nervous system (CNS) metastases, as reported by the investigators of the Phase III AURA3 study.
©eraxion / 123RF Stock PhotoASCO 2018 NSCLC: The ASCO18 Lung Cancer Track Summarised
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): a key feature of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2018 annual meeting. This year, encouraging results with single-agent immunotherapy (I-O) and combinations of I-O with chemotherapy (CTx), including the CheckMate 227 with nivolumab (NIVO), IMpower131 and IMpower150 studies with atezolizumab (ATEZO), and KEYNOTE-042 and KEYNOTE-407 studies with pembrolizumab (PEMBRO). Furthermore, important Asian data on treatments for epidermal growth-factor recptor (EGFR) mutation-positive (mu+) NSCLC (ARCHER 1050, NEJ009, NEJ026, and JO25567).
bravajulia / 123RF Stock PhotoAACR 2018: first-line atezolizumab, bevacizumab plus chemotherapy active in non-squamous NSCLC
First-line atezolizumab plus bevacizumab, carboplatin and paclitaxel improves PFS in patients with non-squamous NSCLC. Two presentations on the IMPower150 study by Martin Reck (ELCC 2018) and Mark Socinski (AACR 2018) discussed the frontline addition of atezolizumab to bevacizumab and chemotherapy in different lung cancer subgroups (NCT02366143).
Hywards / 123RF Stock PhotoNivolumab-Ipilimumab Combination: A New Option for TMB-High NSCLC (CheckMate 227)
AACR 2018: First-line nivolumab-ipilimumab in TMB-high NSCLC with was associated with a more than tripled 1-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate compared to platinum-based chemotherapy in the Phase III CheckMate 227 trial (NCT02477826).
©United States Food and Drug AgencyFDA approved osimertinib for the 1st-line treatment of patients with EGFR exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R mutations positive metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
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FDA approved osimertinib (Tagrisso, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP) for the 1st-line treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R mutations, as detected by an FDA-approved test.
krishnacreations / 123RF Stock PhotoFrontline Combination of Pembrolizumab and Chemotherapy: A New Standard of Care for Non-squamous NSCLC
AACR 2018: Frontline pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy in NSCLC reduces the risk of death by more than 50%. The Phase III KEYNOTE-189 trial combined pembrolizumab (Keytruda®) plus standard of care platinum-based chemotherapy in non-squamous non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without EGFR or ALK genetic aberrations (NCT0278680)
Pembrolizumab effective in frontline NSCLC with low PD-L1 expression
Pembrolizumab (Keytruda®) as single-agent immunotherapy in the frontline setting of any histology NSCLC with a PD-L1 expression ≥1% was associated with improved overall survival (OS) when compared to platinum-doublet chemotherapy in the KEYNOTE-042.
Crizotinib beneficial for East-Asian NSCLC patients with ROS1 alterations
Crizotinib in Asian NSCLC patients with ROS1 alterations was associated with a 71.7% objective response rate (ORR) with a median duration of response (DOR) of 19.7 months (95% CI, 14.1 months – not reached). Learn more about the results with crizotinib in East-Asian non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients harbouring c-ros oncogene 1 (ROS1) rearrangements.
Making sense of 1st-line immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
The expansion of therapeutic options with immunotherapies will reflect a dramatic change in the guidelines for lung cancer, where immunotherapies mostly compete with the use of chemotherapeutic agents. A brief communication on immunotherapies for NSCLC.
PD-L1 Biomarker: a Comparison of ASCO2016 PD-1 and PD-L1 Data
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ESMO16 Pembrolizumab data – Download the PPT
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ESMO16 Durvalumab, Avelumab, Tremelimumab Data – Download the PPT
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ASCO16 Avelumab, Durvalumab, and Tremelimumab
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ASCO16 Atezolizumab (Tecentriq©) Data
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ASCO16 Nivolumab (Opdivo©) Data
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ASCO16 Pembrolizumab (Keytruda©) Data
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