Roche announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the company's supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) and granted Priority Review for TECENTRIQ® (atezolizumab), in combination with Avastin® (bevacizumab), paclitaxel and carboplatin (chemotherapy), for the initial (first-line) treatment of people with metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The FDA is expected to make a decision on approval by 5 September 2018. A Priority Review designation is granted to medicines that the FDA has determined to have the potential to provide significant improvements in the treatment, prevention or diagnosis of a disease.
"Our phase III results showed TECENTRIQ in combination with Avastin, paclitaxel and carboplatin has the potential to provide a significant survival benefit in the initial treatment of metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer," said Sandra Horning, MD, Roche's Chief Medical Officer and Head of Global Product Development. "We are working closely with the FDA to bring this treatment regimen to people with this type of lung cancer as soon as possible."
This sBLA is based on results from the Phase III IMpower150 study, which met its co-primary endpoints of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in the initial treatment of people with advanced non-squamous NSCLC. The safety profile of the combination was consistent with the safety profiles of the individual medicines, and no new safety signals were identified.
TECENTRIQ is currently approved by the FDA to treat people with metastatic NSCLC who have disease progression during or following platinum-containing chemotherapy, and have progressed on an appropriate FDA-approved targeted therapy if their tumour has ALK and EGFR mutations.
About the IMpower150 study
IMpower150 is a multicentre, open-label, randomised, controlled Phase III study evaluating the efficacy and safety of TECENTRIQ in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel with or without Avastin in people with stage IV non-squamous NSCLC who had not been treated with chemotherapy for their advanced disease. It enrolled 1,202 people, of which those with ALK and EGFR mutations were excluded from the primary intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis. People were randomised (1:1:1) to receive:
TECENTRIQ plus carboplatin and paclitaxel (Arm A), or
TECENTRIQ and Avastin plus carboplatin and paclitaxel (Arm B), or
Avastin plus carboplatin and paclitaxel (Arm C, control arm)
The co-primary endpoints were OS and PFS, as determined by the investigator using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours Version 1.1 (RECIST v1.1). The primary analysis of the co-primary PFS endpoint in IMpower150 was assessed in two populations: all randomised people without an ALK or EGFR genetic mutation (intention-to-treat wild-type) and in a subgroup of people who had a specific biomarker (T-effector "Teff" gene signature expression). The co-primary OS endpoint was assessed in all randomised people without an ALK or EGFR genetic mutation (intention-to-treat wild-type). Key secondary endpoints included investigator-assessed PFS and OS, safety in the ITT population and in EGFR and ALK mutation subgroups.
About NSCLC
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death globally(1). Each year 1.59 million people die as a result of the disease; this translates into more than 4,350 deaths worldwide every day(2). Lung cancer can be broadly divided into two major types: NSCLC and small cell lung cancer. NSCLC is the most prevalent type, accounting for around 85% of all cases(2).
About the TECENTRIQ and Avastin combination
There is a strong scientific rationale to support further investigation of TECENTRIQ plus Avastin in combination. We are investigating this combination in a broad range of cancers, including first-line advanced NSCLC. Avastin, in addition to its anti-angiogenic effects, may further enhance TECENTRIQ's ability to restore anti-cancer immunity by inhibiting VEGF-related immunosuppression, promoting T cell tumour infiltration and enabling priming and activation of T cell responses against tumour antigens.
About TECENTRIQ
TECENTRIQ is a monoclonal antibody designed to bind with a protein called PD-L1 expressed on tumour cells and tumour-infiltrating immune cells, blocking its...
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