Potential New Standard Treatment for Advanced ALK-Positive Lung Cancer
Pfizer’s (PFE) drug Lorbrena has demonstrated promising long-term results in a late-stage trial for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), potentially positioning it as the new standard treatment for this condition. The trial results showed that Lorbrena significantly extended the time patients lived without cancer progression, with many experiencing benefits for over five years. The drug also notably reduced the risk of cancer spreading to the brain.
Lorbrena is already approved in the U.S. for treating adults with advanced NSCLC who have an ALK gene mutation, which affects about 5% of all NSCLC patients, translating to 72,000 cases worldwide annually. This form of cancer is typically aggressive and often affects younger individuals.
In the phase three trial, Lorbrena outperformed Pfizer’s older drug Xalkori, reducing the risk of cancer progression or death by 81% over five years. Additionally, 60% of patients treated with Lorbrena were alive without cancer progression after five years, compared to 8% for Xalkori. The drug also cut the risk of brain metastases by 94%.
These results, presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting and published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, are expected to bolster Lorbrena’s use as a first-line treatment. Despite some central nervous system side effects, the drug’s overall efficacy and ability to manage brain metastasis highlight its potential to become the new standard for treating ALK-positive NSCLC.
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