AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca's Tagrisso (osimertinib) with the addition of pemetrexed and platinum-based chemotherapy has been approved in China for the 1st-line treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic epidermal growth factor receptor-mutated (EGFRm) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumours have exon 19 deletions or exon 21 (L858R) mutations.   

The approval by China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) was based on the results from the FLAURA2 Phase III trial published in The New England Journal of Medicine, and results from a prespecified exploratory subgroup analysis of efficacy and safety in Chinese patients, which was presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Asia Congress 2023.

In the overall trial population, Tagrisso with the addition of chemotherapy reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 38% by investigator assessment compared to Tagrisso monotherapy, which is the 1st-line global standard of care (hazard ratio [HR] 0.62; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.49-0.79; p<0.0001). Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 25.5 months for patients treated with Tagrisso plus chemotherapy, an 8.8-month improvement versus Tagrisso monotherapy (16.7 months).

PFS results by blinded independent central review (BICR) in the overall trial population were consistent with results by investigator assessment, showing 29.4 months median PFS with Tagrisso plus chemotherapy, a 9.5-month improvement over Tagrisso monotherapy (19.9 months) (HR 0.62; 95% CI 0.48-0.80; p=0.0002).   

While the overall survival (OS) remained immature at the second interim analysis (41% maturity), an encouraging trend towards an OS benefit was observed with Tagrisso plus chemotherapy versus Tagrisso alone (HR 0.75; 95% CI 0.57-0.97). The trial continues to assess OS as a key secondary endpoint. 

Efficacy results from the China cohort of FLAURA2 were broadly consistent with the overall trial. By investigator assessment, Tagrisso with the addition of chemotherapy reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 44% compared to Tagrisso monotherapy (HR 0.56; 95% CI 0.34-0.92). Median PFS was 27.4 months for patients treated with Tagrisso plus chemotherapy, a 5.1-month improvement versus Tagrisso monotherapy (22.3 months).

PFS results in the China cohort by BICR were consistent with the results by investigator assessment, showing 33.2 months median PFS with Tagrisso plus chemotherapy, an 11.2-month improvement over Tagrisso monotherapy (22.0 months) (HR 0.58; 95% CI 0.34-1.01).

A trend towards an OS benefit was also observed in the China cohort for Tagrisso plus chemotherapy versus Tagrisso alone (HR 0.97; 95% CI 0.45-2.06).

Each year in China, there are over one million people diagnosed with lung cancer, accounting for more than a third of the world's lung cancer patients.^1,2 Among those with NSCLC, the most common form of lung cancer, approximately 40% of patients in China have tumours with an EGFR mutation.³ Additionally, the majority of patients with NSCLC are diagnosed with advanced disease.⁴   

Professor Ying Cheng, MD, Director of Jilin Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Centre, and principal investigator in China said: "The approval of osimertinib with the addition of chemotherapy in China is critical for the treatment of the largest population of patients with EGFR-mutated lung cancer worldwide. These patients will now have a choice of two highly effective osimertinib-based options for 1st-line treatment, allowing physicians to tailor their approach to their patients. This is especially important for those with a poorer prognosis, such as cancer that has spread to the brain or those who have L858R mutations."      

Dave Fredrickson, Executive Vice President, Oncology Business Unit, AstraZeneca, said: "Tagrisso with the addition of chemotherapy in FLAURA2 has not only shown unprecedented progression-free survival in the overall trial population, but also among Chinese patients, reducing the risk of disease progression by nearly half. This approval reinforces Tagrisso as a backbone therapy in EGFR-mutated lung cancer and acknowledges its important role, as monotherapy or with chemotherapy, in addressing the high prevalence of this disease in Asian countries and China, specifically."   

The safety profile of Tagrisso with the addition of chemotherapy was generally manageable and consistent with the established profiles of the individual medicines. Adverse event (AE) rates were higher in the Tagrisso plus chemotherapy arm, driven by well-characterised chemotherapy-related AEs. Discontinuation rates of Tagrisso due to AEs were 11% for Tagrisso plus chemotherapy and 6% for monotherapy.

Tagrisso is approved as monotherapy in more than 100 countries including in the US, EU, China and Japan. Approved indications include for 1st-line treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic EGFRm NSCLC, locally advanced or metastatic EGFR T790M mutation-positive NSCLC, and adjuvant treatment of early-stage EGFRm NSCLC. In addition to this new approval in China, Tagrisso with the addition of chemotherapy is also approved in the US and several other countries for 1st-line treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic EGFRm NSCLC.  

Notes

Lung cancer 

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women, accounting for about one-fifth of all cancer deaths.⁵ Lung cancer is broadly split into NSCLC and small cell lung cancer.⁶ Each year there are an estimated 2.4 million people diagnosed with lung cancer globally, with 80-85% of patients diagnosed with NSCLC, the most common form of lung cancer.^5-8 

Approximately 10-15% of NSCLC patients in the US and Europe, and 30-40% of patients in Asia have EGFRm NSCLC.^9-11 Patients with EGFRm NSCLC are particularly sensitive to treatment with an EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) which blocks the cell-signalling pathways that drive the growth of tumour cells.¹² 

FLAURA2 

FLAURA2 is a randomised, open-label, multi-centre, global Phase III trial in the 1st-line treatment of patients with locally advanced (Stage IIIB-IIIC) or metastatic (Stage IV) EGFRm NSCLC. Patients were treated with Tagrisso 80mg once-daily oral tablets with the addition of chemotherapy (pemetrexed (500mg/m2) plus cisplatin (75mg/m2) or carboplatin (AUC5)) every three weeks for four cycles, followed by Tagrisso with pemetrexed maintenance every three weeks. 

The trial enrolled 557 patients in more than 150 centres across more than 20 countries, including in the US, Europe, South America and Asia. The primary endpoint is PFS. The trial is ongoing and will continue to assess the secondary endpoint of OS. 

Tagrisso 

Tagrisso (osimertinib) is a third-generation, irreversible EGFR-TKI with proven clinical activity in NSCLC, including against central nervous system (CNS) metastases. Tagrisso (40mg and 80mg once-daily oral tablets) has been used to treat nearly 800,000 patients across its indications worldwide and AstraZeneca continues to explore Tagrisso as a treatment for patients across multiple stages of EGFRm NSCLC.

There is an extensive body of evidence supporting the use of Tagrisso in EGFRm NSCLC. Tagrisso is the only targeted therapy to improve patient outcomes in early-stage disease in the ADAURA Phase III trial , locally advanced stages in the LAURA Phase III trial and late-stage disease in the FLAURA Phase III trial and FLAURA2 Phase III trial. 

As part of AstraZeneca's ongoing commitment to treating patients as early as possible in lung cancer, Tagrisso is also being investigated in the neoadjuvant setting in the NeoADAURA Phase III trial with results expected later this year and in the early-stage adjuvant resectable setting in the ADAURA2 Phase III trial.

The Company is also researching ways to address tumour mechanisms of resistance through the SAVANNAH and ORCHARD Phase II trials, and the SAFFRON Phase III trial, which test Tagrisso plus savolitinib, an oral, potent and highly selective MET TKI, as well as other potential new medicines. 

AstraZeneca in lung cancer 

AstraZeneca is working to bring patients with lung cancer closer to cure through the detection and treatment of early-stage disease, while also pushing the boundaries of science to improve outcomes in the resistant and advanced settings. By defining new therapeutic targets and investigating innovative approaches, the Company aims to match medicines to the patients who can benefit most. 

The Company's comprehensive portfolio includes leading lung cancer medicines and the next wave of innovations, including Tagrisso and Iressa (gefitinib); Imfinzi (durvalumab) and Imjudo (tremelimumab); Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan) and datopotamab deruxtecan in collaboration with Daiichi Sankyo; Orpathys (savolitinib) in collaboration with HUTCHMED; as well as a pipeline of potential new medicines and combinations across diverse mechanisms of action. 

AstraZeneca is a founding member of the Lung Ambition Alliance, a global coalition working to accelerate innovation and deliver meaningful improvements for people with lung cancer, including and beyond treatment. 

AstraZeneca in oncology 

AstraZeneca is leading a revolution in oncology with the ambition to provide cures for cancer in every form, following the science to understand cancer and all its complexities to discover, develop and deliver life-changing medicines to patients. 

The Company's focus is on some of the most challenging cancers. It is through persistent innovation that AstraZeneca has built one of the most diverse portfolios and pipelines in the industry, with the potential to catalyse changes in the practice of medicine and transform the patient experience. 

AstraZeneca has the vision to redefine cancer care and, one day, eliminate cancer as a cause of death. 

AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca (LSE/STO/Nasdaq: AZN) is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialisation of prescription medicines in Oncology, Rare Diseases, and BioPharmaceuticals, including Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and Respiratory & Immunology. Based in Cambridge, UK, AstraZeneca's innovative medicines are sold in more than 125 countries and used by millions of patients worldwide. Please visit astrazeneca.com and follow the Company on social media @AstraZeneca.

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References

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