Cemiplimab Plus Chemotherapy Versus Chemotherapy Alone in Advanced NSCLC: 2-Year Follow-Up From the Phase 3 EMPOWER-Lung 3 Part 2 Trial

IntroductionEMPOWER-Lung 3 part 2 (NCT03409614), a double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 study, investigated cemiplimab (antiprogrammed cell death protein 1) plus chemotherapy versus placebo plus chemotherapy in patients with advanced NSCLC without EGFR, ALK, or ROS1 aberrations, with either squamous or nonsquamous histology, irrespective of programmed death-ligand 1 levels. At primary analysis, after 16.4 months of follow-up, cemiplimab plus chemotherapy improved median overall survival (OS) versus chemotherapy alone (21.9 versus 13.0 mo, hazard ratio [HR] = 0.71, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.53–0.93, p = 0.014). Here, we report protocol-specified final OS and 2-year follow-up results.MethodsPatients (N = 466) were randomized 2:1 to receive histology-specific platinum-doublet chemotherapy, with 350 mg cemiplimab (n = 312) or placebo (n = 154) every 3 weeks for up to 108 weeks. Primary end point was OS; secondary end points included progression-free survival and objective response rates.ResultsAfter 28.4 months of median follow-up, median OS was 21.1 months (95% CI: 15.9–23.5) for cemiplimab plus chemotherapy versus 12.9 months (95% CI: 10.6–15.7) for chemotherapy alone (HR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.51–0.82, p = 0.0003); median progression-free survival was 8.2 months (95% CI: 6.4–9.0) versus 5.5 months (95% CI: 4.3–6.2) (HR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.44–0.68, p < 0.0001), and objective response rates were 43.6% versus 22.1%, respectively. Safety was generally consistent with previously reported data. Incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events of grade 3 or higher was 48.7% with cemiplimab plus chemotherapy and 32.7% with chemotherapy alone.ConclusionsAt protocol-specified final OS analysis with 28.4 months of follow-up, the EMPOWER-Lung 3 study continued to reveal benefit of cemiplimab plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone in patients with advanced squamous or nonsquamous NSCLC, across programmed death-ligand 1 levels.     

Atezolizumab Versus Docetaxel in Pretreated Patients With NSCLC: Final Results From the Randomized Phase 2 POPLAR and Phase 3 OAK Clinical Trials

IntroductionThe phase 2 POPLAR and phase 3 OAK studies of the anti–programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) immunotherapy atezolizumab in patients with previously treated advanced NSCLC revealed significant improvements in survival versus docetaxel (p = 0.04 and 0.0003, respectively). Longer follow-up permits evaluation of continued benefit of atezolizumab. This study reports the final overall survival (OS) and safety findings from both trials.MethodsPOPLAR randomized 287 patients (atezolizumab, 144; docetaxel, 143) and OAK randomized 1225 patients (atezolizumab, 613; docetaxel, 612). The patients received atezolizumab (1200 mg fixed dose) or docetaxel (75 mg/m²) every 3 weeks. Efficacy and safety outcomes were evaluated.ResultsA longer OS was observed in patients receiving atezolizumab versus docetaxel in POPLAR (median OS = 12.6 mo versus 9.7 mo; hazard ratio = 0.76, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.58–1.00) and OAK (median OS = 13.3 versus 9.8 mo; hazard ratio = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.68–0.89). The 4-year OS rates in POPLAR were 14.8% (8.7–20.8) and 8.1% (3.2–13.0) and those in OAK were 15.5% (12.4–18.7) and 8.7% (6.2–11.3) for atezolizumab and docetaxel, respectively. Atezolizumab had improved OS benefit compared with docetaxel across all PD-L1 expression and histology groups. Most 4-year survivors in the docetaxel arms received subsequent immunotherapy (POPLAR, 50%; OAK, 65%). Of the 4-year survivors, most had Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 and nonsquamous histological classification and approximately half were responders (POPLAR: atezolizumab, seven of 15; docetaxel, three of four; OAK: atezolizumab, 24 of 43; docetaxel, 11 of 26). Treatment-related grade 3/4 adverse events occurred in 27% and 16% of atezolizumab 4-year survivors in POPLAR and OAK, respectively.ConclusionsLong-term follow-up suggests a consistent survival benefit with atezolizumab versus docetaxel in patients with previously treated NSCLC regardless of PD-L1 expression, histology, or subsequent immunotherapy. Atezolizumab had no new safety signals, and the safety profile was similar to that in previous studies.     

Phase 3 Trial Comparing Nanoparticle Albumin-Bound Paclitaxel With Docetaxel for Previously Treated Advanced NSCLC

IntroductionWe aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of nanoparticle albumin-bound (nab-) paclitaxel for previously treated patients with advanced NSCLC.MethodsIn this randomized, open-label, noninferiority phase 3 trial, we enrolled patients with advanced NSCLC previously treated with cytotoxic chemotherapy. Patients were randomly allocated (1:1) to receive docetaxel (60 mg/m²) on day 1 or nab-paclitaxel (100 mg/m²) on days 1, 8, and 15 of a 21-day cycle. The primary end point was overall survival (OS) analyzed on an intention-to-treat basis.ResultsBetween May 22, 2015, and March 12, 2018, a total of 503 patients were randomly allocated to the treatment. Median OS was 16.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 14.4–19.0) for the 252 patients allocated to nab-paclitaxel and 13.6 months (95% CI: 10.9–16.5) for the 251 patients allocated to docetaxel (hazard ratio = 0.85, 95.2% CI: 0.68–1.07). Median progression-free survival was 4.2 months (95% CI: 3.9–5.0) for the nab-paclitaxel group versus 3.4 months (95% CI: 2.9–4.1) for the docetaxel group (hazard ratio = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.63–0.92, p = 0.0042). The objective response rate was 29.9% (95% CI: 24.0–36.2) for the nab-paclitaxel group and 15.4% (95% CI: 10.9–20.7) for the docetaxel group (p = 0.0002). Adverse events of grade greater than or equal to 3 included febrile neutropenia (5 of 245 patients [2%] in the nab-paclitaxel group versus 55 of 249 patients [22%] in the docetaxel group) and peripheral sensory neuropathy (24 [10%] versus 2 [1%], respectively).ConclusionsNab-paclitaxel was noninferior to docetaxel in terms of OS. It should, thus, be considered a standard treatment option for previously treated patients with advanced NSCLC.     

Tislelizumab Versus Docetaxel in Patients With Previously Treated Advanced NSCLC (RATIONALE-303): A Phase 3, Open-Label,Randomized Controlled Trial

IntroductionThe phase 3 RATIONALE-303 trial (NCT03358875) investigated the efficacy and safety of tislelizumab versus docetaxel in pretreated patients with advanced NSCLC. Here, we report the efficacy and safety results and describe the exploratory biomarker analyses.MethodsA total of 805 patients aged more than or equal to 18 years with locally advanced or metastatic squamous or nonsquamous NSCLC were randomized 2:1 to intravenous tislelizumab 200 mg or docetaxel 75 mg/m² every 3 weeks. Co-primary end points were overall survival (OS) in the intent-to-treat (ITT) and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) tumor cell expression greater than or equal to 25% populations. The exploratory biomarker analyses included PD-L1 expression, tumor mutation burden, and gene expression profile.ResultsAt the prespecified interim analysis (August 10, 2020), the co-primary end point of OS in the ITT population was met, with a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in OS with tislelizumab versus docetaxel (median 17.2 versus 11.9 mo, respectively; hazard ratio [HR] = 0.64, p < 0.0001). At the final analysis (July 15, 2021), the other co-primary end point of OS in the PD-L1 tumor cell greater than or equal to 25% population was further met (median 19.3 versus 11.5 mo, respectively; HR = 0.53, p < 0.0001), and OS continued to improve in the ITT population (median 16.9 versus 11.9 mo, respectively, HR = 0.66). Exploratory biomarker analyses revealed the potential association of NOTCH1–4 mutations with improved tislelizumab efficacy for both OS and progression-free survival, whereas tissue tumor mutation burden correlated with progression-free survival benefit, but not OS benefit. No new safety signals were identified.ConclusionsTislelizumab was found to have a significantly improved and long-term clinical benefit in OS versus docetaxel in pretreated patients with advanced NSCLC, regardless of PD-L1 expression.     

Randomized Phase 2 Study of Osimertinib Plus Bevacizumab Versus Osimertinib for Untreated Patients With Nonsquamous NSCLC Harboring EGFR Mutations: WJOG9717L Study

IntroductionTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of osimertinib plus bevacizumab for previously untreated patients with advanced nonsquamous NSCLC harboring EGFR-sensitizing mutations.MethodsWe conducted a randomized, open-label, phase 2 study at 21 institutions in Japan. Previously untreated patients with advanced nonsquamous NSCLC harboring EGFR-sensitizing mutations received either osimertinib (80 mg, daily) plus bevacizumab (15 mg/kg, every 3 wk) or osimertinib monotherapy, and were stratified according to sex, stage, and EGFR mutation status. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS) in the intention-to-treat population, assessed by means of blinded, independent central radiologic review.ResultsBetween January 2018 and September 2018, a total of 122 patients were enrolled (osimertinib + bevacizumab arm, 61 patients; osimertinib monotherapy arm, 61 patients). At a median follow-up duration of 19.8 months, the median PFS was 22.1 months for osimertinib plus bevacizumab and 20.2 months for osimertinib monotherapy, with a hazard ratio of 0.862 (60% confidence interval: 0.700–1.060, 95% confidence interval: 0.531–1.397, one-sided stratified log-rank p = 0.213). Adverse events of grade 3 or worse were observed in 34 patients (56%) in the osimertinib plus bevacizumab arm and 29 (48%) in the osimertinib monotherapy arm. In addition, two (3%) and 11 patients (18%) experienced any grade pneumonitis, respectively, and grade 3 pneumonitis was observed in one patient (2%) in each arm.ConclusionsThis study failed to exhibit the efficacy of osimertinib plus bevacizumab for improving the PFS among patients with nonsquamous NSCLC harboring EGFR mutations as first-line treatment.     

Phase 1b Study of Sintilimab Plus Anlotinib as First-line Therapy in Patients With Advanced NSCLC

IntroductionAlthough the interaction between tumor immune microenvironment and angiogenesis has been well established, evidence supporting the chemo-free combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors plus antiangiogenic tyrosine kinase inhibitors in treatment-naive patients with advanced NSCLC is insufficient. This report provides the efficacy and safety of sintilimab combined with anlotinib as first-line therapy for advanced NSCLC from a phase 1b trial (NCT03628521).MethodsEligible patients who were treatment-naive and had unresectable stage IIIB/C or IV NSCLC without EGFR/ALK/ROS1 mutations received sintilimab (200 mg, day 1) and anlotinib (12 mg, day 1–14) every 3 weeks till disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Baseline programmed death-ligand 1 expression and tumor mutation burden status was assessed in all patients. The primary end points were objective response rate and safety.ResultsA total of 22 patients received sintilimab and anlotinib. Median follow-up was 15.8 months (range: 8.3–19.3). Sixteen patients achieved confirmed partial response with an objective response rate of 72.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 49.8%–89.3%) and disease control rate of 100% (95% CI: 84.6%–100%). Median progression-free survival was 15 months (95% CI: 8.3 m, not reached), and the 12-month progression-free survival rate was 71.4% (95% CI: 47.2%–86.0%). The incidence rate of grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse events was 54.5%, and grade 3 hypertension was predominant (two of 22, 9.1%). No grade 4 treatment-related adverse events were observed, and one case of grade 5 immune-related pneumonitis occurred.ConclusionsTo the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that assessed an anti–programmed cell death protein 1 antibody combined with a multitarget antiangiogenic tyrosine kinase inhibitor in the frontline setting for patients with NSCLC. In view of its encouraging efficacy, durability, and safety profile, sintilimab plus anlotinib represents a novel chemotherapy-free regimen in this patient population.     

Phase 2 Study of Dabrafenib Plus Trametinib in Patients With BRAF V600E-Mutant Metastatic NSCLC: Updated 5-Year Survival Rates and Genomic Analysis

IntroductionDabrafenib plus trametinib was found to have robust antitumor activity in patients with BRAF V600E-mutant metastatic NSCLC (mNSCLC). We report updated survival analysis of a phase 2 study (NCT01336634) with a minimum of 5-year follow-up and updated genomic data.MethodsPretreated (cohort B) and treatment-naive (cohort C) patients with BRAF V600E-mutant mNSCLC received dabrafenib 150 mg twice daily and trametinib 2 mg once daily. The primary end point was investigator-assessed overall response rate per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1. Secondary end points were duration of response, progression-free survival, overall survival, and safety.ResultsAt data cutoff, for cohorts B (57 patients) and C (36 patients), the median follow-up was 16.6 (range: 0.5–78.5) and 16.3 (range: 0.4–80) months, overall response rate (95% confidence interval [CI]) was 68.4% (54.8–80.1) and 63.9% (46.2–79.2), median progression-free survival (95% CI) was 10.2 (6.9–16.7) and 10.8 (7.0–14.5) months, and median overall survival (95% CI) was 18.2 (14.3–28.6) and 17.3 (12.3–40.2) months, respectively. The 4- and 5-year survival rates were 26% and 19% in pretreated patients and 34% and 22% in treatment-naive patients, respectively. A total of 17 patients (18%) were still alive. The most frequent adverse event was pyrexia (56%). Exploratory genomic analysis indicated that the presence of coexisting genomic alterations might influence clinical outcomes in these patients; however, these results require further investigation.ConclusionsDabrafenib plus trametinib therapy was found to have substantial and durable clinical benefit, with a manageable safety profile, in patients with BRAF V600E-mutant mNSCLC, regardless of previous treatment.     

Efficacy of Brigatinib in Patients With Advanced ALK-Positive NSCLC Who Progressed on Alectinib or Ceritinib: ALK in Lung Cancer Trial of brigAtinib-2 (ALTA-2)

IntroductionBrigatinib is a potent next-generation ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitor approved for treatment-naive and crizotinib-refractory advanced ALK-positive (ALK+) NSCLC. We evaluated brigatinib after other next-generation ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors.MethodsIn this single-arm, phase 2, ALK in Lung Cancer Trial of brigAtinib-2 (NCT03535740), patients with advanced ALK+ NSCLC whose disease progressed on alectinib or ceritinib received brigatinib 180 mg once daily (after 7-d 90-mg lead-in). Primary end point was independent review committee (IRC)-assessed overall response rate (ORR). Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) was analyzed.ResultsAmong 103 patients (data cutoff: September 30, 2020; median follow-up [range]: 10.8 [0.5–17.7] mo), confirmed IRC-ORR was 26.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 18.0–35.8), median duration of response, 6.3 months (95% CI: 5.6–not reached), and median progression-free survival (mPFS), 3.8 months (95% CI: 3.5–5.8). mPFS was 1.9 months (95% CI: 1.8–3.7) in patients with ctDNA-detectable baseline ALK fusion (n = 64). Among 86 patients who progressed on alectinib, IRC-ORR was 29.1% (95% CI: 19.8–39.9); mPFS was 3.8 months (95% CI: 1.9–5.4). Resistance mutations were present in 33.3% (26 of 78) of baseline ctDNA; 54% (14 of 26) of mutations were G1202R; 52% (33 of 64) of patients with detectable ALK fusion had EML4-ALK variant 3. Most common all-grade treatment-related adverse events were increased creatine phosphokinase (32%) and diarrhea (27%). The mean dose intensity of brigatinib (180 mg once daily) was 85.9%.ConclusionsIn ALK in Lung Cancer Trial of brigAtinib-2, brigatinib was found to have a limited activity in patients with ALK+ NSCLC post-ceritinib or post-alectinib therapy. mPFS was longer with brigatinib in patients without baseline detectable plasma ALK fusion.     

Camrelizumab Plus Carboplatin and Pemetrexed as First-Line Treatment for Advanced Nonsquamous NSCLC: Extended Follow-Up of CameL Phase 3 Trial

IntroductionIn CameL phase 3 study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03134872), addition of camrelizumab to first-line chemotherapy significantly improved the progression-free survival in patients with stages IIIB to IV nonsquamous NSCLC. Here, we present outcomes after a minimum follow-up of 43.9 months since last patient randomization.MethodsEligible patients were randomized 1:1 to 4 to 6 cycles of camrelizumab plus carboplatin and pemetrexed or chemotherapy alone every 3 weeks, followed by maintenance camrelizumab plus pemetrexed or pemetrexed only (n = 205 and 207, respectively). Total camrelizumab exposure was up to 2 years.ResultsAs of January 31, 2022, camrelizumab plus chemotherapy exhibited substantially improved overall survival over chemotherapy alone (median, 27.1 versus 19.8 mo; hazard ratio = 0.72 [95% confidence interval: 0.57–0.92]). In the chemotherapy-alone group, 95 patients (45.9%) crossed over to camrelizumab monotherapy. After adjustment for crossover, the survival benefit with camrelizumab plus chemotherapy was more pronounced (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.55 [95% confidence interval: 0.42–0.71]). In camrelizumab plus chemotherapy group, 33 patients completed 2 years of camrelizumab. Objective response rate was 97.0%, with ongoing responses in 17 of the 32 responses (53.1%), and 93.9% (31 of 33) of the patients were alive at data cutoff. Safety profiles were consistent with the previous report, and no obvious evidence of cumulative toxicity was found with long exposure to camrelizumab.ConclusionsCamrelizumab plus carboplatin and pemetrexed provides long-term survival benefit over chemotherapy, with manageable toxicity and remarkable and durable response in patients receiving 2 years of camrelizumab, further supporting camrelizumab combination as first-line treatment for advanced nonsquamous NSCLC.     

Brigatinib in Crizotinib-Refractory ALK+ NSCLC: 2-Year Follow-up on Systemic and Intracranial Outcomes in the Phase 2 ALTA Trial

IntroductionWe report updated data from a phase 2 randomized study evaluating brigatinib in crizotinib-refractory anaplastic lymphoma kinase–positive NSCLC.MethodsPatients were randomized 1:1 to take either oral brigatinib 90 mg once daily (arm A) or 180 mg once daily with a 7-day lead-in at 90 mg (arm B), stratified by central nervous system (CNS) metastases and best response to crizotinib. The primary end point was investigator-assessed confirmed objective response rate per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1. Secondary end points included independent review committee (IRC)-assessed progression-free survival (PFS), intracranial PFS (iPFS), and overall survival (OS). Exploratory analyses included CNS versus ex-CNS target lesion response and correlation of depth of response with PFS and OS.ResultsAmong 222 randomized patients (112 and 110 in arms A and B, respectively), 59 (27%) remained on brigatinib at analysis (median follow-up: 19.6 versus 24.3 months). At baseline, 71% and 67% had brain lesions among A and B arms, respectively. Investigator-assessed confirmed objective response rate was 46% versus 56%. Median IRC-assessed PFS was 9.2 months (95% confidence interval: 7.4–12.8) versus 16.7 months (11.6–21.4). Median OS was 29.5 months (18.2–not reached) versus 34.1 months (27.7–not reached). IRC-confirmed intracranial objective response rate in patients with measurable baseline brain lesions was 50% (13 of 26) versus 67% (12 of 18); median duration of intracranial response was 9.4 versus 16.6 months. IRC-assessed iPFS was 12.8 versus 18.4 months. Across arms, median IRC-assessed PFS was 1.9, 5.5, 11.1, 16.7, and 15.6 months for patients with no, 1%–25%, 26%–50%, 51%–75%, and 76%–100% target lesion shrinkage, respectively. No new safety findings were observed with longer follow-up.ConclusionsBrigatinib (180 mg once daily with lead-in) continues to demonstrate robust PFS, long iPFS and duration of intracranial response, and high intracranial objective response rate in crizotinib-refractory patients. Depth of response may be an important end point to capture in future targeted therapy trials.     

Three-Year Safety,Tolerability, and Health-Related Quality of Life Outcomes of Adjuvant Osimertinib in Patients With Resected Stage IB to IIIA EGFR-Mutated NSCLC: Updated Analysis From the Phase 3 ADAURA Trial

IntroductionIn ADAURA, adjuvant osimertinib significantly improved disease-free survival versus placebo in resected stage IB to IIIA EGFR-mutated NSCLC. We report in-depth analyses of three-year safety, tolerability, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) from ADAURA.MethodsPatients were randomized 1:1 to osimertinib 80 mg or placebo once daily for up to 3 years. Safety assessments were performed at baseline, week 2, week 4, week 12, and every 12 weeks until treatment completion or discontinuation, and 28 days after treatment was stopped. The SF-36 survey measured HRQoL at baseline, week 12, week 24, and every 24 weeks until recurrence, treatment completion or discontinuation. Data cutoff: April 11, 2022.ResultsSafety and HRQoL analysis sets: osimertinib, n = 337 and n = 339; placebo, n = 343 each. Median (range) total exposure duration was longer with osimertinib versus placebo: 35.8 (0–38) versus 25.1 (0–39) months. Most adverse events (AEs) were first reported within 12 months of starting treatment (osimertinib 97%, placebo 86%). AEs leading to dose reduction, interruption or discontinuation were reported in 12%, 27% and 13% respectively of patients with osimertinib; 1%, 13% and 3% with placebo. Stomatitis and diarrhea were the most common AEs leading to osimertinib dose reduction or interruption; interstitial lung disease was the most common leading to osimertinib discontinuation (per protocol). There were no differences in time to deterioration for SF-36 physical, mental component summaries between osimertinib and placebo.ConclusionsNo new safety signals were reported and HRQoL was maintained with 3 years of adjuvant osimertinib treatment. Combined with significant efficacy benefit, these data further support adjuvant osimertinib in stage IB to IIIA EGFR-mutated NSCLC.     

Bevacizumab Plus Atezolizumab After Progression on Atezolizumab Monotherapy in Pretreated Patients With NSCLC: An Open-Label,Two-Stage,Phase 2 Trial

IntroductionVascular endothelial growth factor promotes an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment that can be reverted by an antiangiogenic therapy. This two-stage, phase 2 study aimed to determine the treatment efficacy of adding bevacizumab to atezolizumab in patients with metastatic NSCLC whose disease had progressed after atezolizumab monotherapy.MethodsImmune checkpoint inhibitor–naive patients with NSCLC, without EGFR or ALK alterations, whose disease progressed after at least one line of platinum-based chemotherapy were eligible. The patients received atezolizumab 1200 mg once every 3 weeks until radiographic progression (stage I). Then, bevacizumab 15 mg/kg was combined with atezolizumab 1200 mg once every 3 weeks (stage II). The primary end point was the disease control rate (DCR) confined to stage II.ResultsA total of 42 and 24 patients were enrolled in stages I and II, respectively. Most patients had negative programmed death ligand-1 expression (71.4%) and received one or two lines of therapy (95.2%). In stage I, patients achieved a DCR of 35.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 21.6–52.0). In stage II, three (12.5%) and 18 (75.0%) of 24 patients had partial response and stable disease, respectively, leading to a DCR of 87.5% (95% CI: 67.6–97.3). For 24 patients enrolled in stage II, the median progression-free survival was 5.6 (95% CI: 4.1–7.1) months and the overall survival was 14.0 (95% CI: 10.7–17.4) months. Treatment-related adverse events occurred in 25% of the patients in stage II, but all were of grade 1 or 2.ConclusionsCombination of bevacizumab plus atezolizumab for patients with metastatic NSCLC whose disease had progressed after atezolizumab monotherapy was found to have a promising antitumor activity with good tolerability.     

Brigatinib in Japanese Patients With ALK-Positive NSCLC Previously Treated With Alectinib and Other Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors: Outcomes of the Phase 2 J-ALTA Trial

IntroductionThis phase 2 trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of brigatinib in patients with advanced ALK-positive NSCLC refractory to alectinib or other ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs).MethodsThis single-arm, multicenter, open-label study in Japanese patients consisted of a safety lead-in followed by an expansion stage in patients refractory to ALK TKI or those naive for ALK TKI. Patients received brigatinib 180 mg once daily with 7-day lead-in at 90 mg once daily. Primary end point was independent review committee (IRC)–assessed confirmed objective response rate per the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1.ResultsWe report the results of the lead-in and expansion in the patients refractory to ALK TKI. Of 72 patients enrolled, 47 had alectinib as most recent ALK TKI (with or without previous crizotinib). At analysis cutoff, 14 of the 47 remained on brigatinib (median follow-up: 12.4 mo). In the alectinib-refractory population, IRC-assessed confirmed objective response rate was 34% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 21%–49%) with median duration of response of 11.8 months (95% CI: 5.5–16.4). Disease control rate was 79% (95% CI: 64%–89%). Median IRC-assessed progression-free survival was 7.3 months (95% CI: 3.7–9.3). Two of eight patients with measurable brain lesions at baseline had confirmed intracranial partial response. Brigatinib has been found to have antitumor activity in patients with G1202R, I1171N, V1180L, and L1196M secondary mutations. The safety profile in Japanese patients was consistent with that in previous reports in broader populations.ConclusionsBrigatinib has been found to have clinically meaningful efficacy in Japanese patients with ALK+ NSCLC refractory to alectinib (with or without previous crizotinib).     

Predictors of Response,Progression-Free Survival,and Overall Survival in Patients With Lung Cancer Treated With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

Monoclonal antibodies that target immune checkpoint proteins, so-called immune checkpoint inhibitors, prevent tumor evasion of the immune system and are often effective in the treatment of lung cancer. Studies have revealed improved objective response rates, progression-free survival, and overall survival with immune checkpoint inhibitors when used in both first and subsequent-line settings. Unfortunately, only a subset of unselected patients with lung cancer responds to these therapies. An important area of ongoing research is to identify biomarkers that can predict which patients are most likely to derive clinical benefit. This review will discuss established and emerging biomarkers from some of the clinical trials that have demonstrated the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of both NSCLC and SCLC.     

Atezolizumab Plus Chemotherapy for First-Line Treatment of Nonsquamous NSCLC: Results From the Randomized Phase 3 IMpower132 Trial

IntroductionWe report the final results of the phase 3 IMpower132 study evaluating atezolizumab plus carboplatin or cisplatin plus pemetrexed (APP) in patients with nonsquamous NSCLC.MethodsChemotherapy-naive patients with stage IV nonsquamous NSCLC without sensitizing EGFR or ALK genetic alterations were randomized in a one-to-one ratio to receive four or six cycles of carboplatin or cisplatin plus pemetrexed (PP) or APP every 3 weeks, followed by maintenance therapy with atezolizumab plus pemetrexed or pemetrexed alone. Co-primary end points were overall survival (OS) and investigator-assessed progression-free survival (PFS).ResultsThe intention-to-treat population included 578 patients (APP, n = 292; PP, n = 286). At the primary PFS analysis (May 22, 2018; median follow-up, 14.8 mo), APP exhibited significant PFS improvement versus PP (median = 7.6 versus 5.2 mo, stratified hazard ratio [HR] = 0.60, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.49–0.72, p < 0.0001). OS for the APP group was numerically better but not statistically significant at the interim (May 22, 2018; median = 18.1 versus 13.6 mo, stratified HR = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.64–1.03, p = 0.0797) and final analyses (July 18, 2019; median = 17.5 versus 13.6 mo; stratified HR = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.71–1.06, p = 0.1546). The OS and PFS results favored APP versus PP across subgroups. Grade 3 or 4 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 54.6% (APP) and 40.1% (PP) of patients; grade 5 treatment-related events occurred in 3.8% and 2.9%, respectively.ConclusionsIMpower132 met its co-primary PFS end point but not its co-primary OS end point, with numerical improvement for OS in the APP arm. APP had a manageable safety profile, with no new or unexpected safety signals identified.     

Crizotinib in Patients With MET-Amplified NSCLC

IntroductionMET amplification is a rare, potentially actionable, primary oncogenic driver in patients with NSCLC.MethodsThe influence of MET amplification on the clinical activity of the ALK, ROS1, and MET inhibitor, crizotinib (250 mg twice daily), was examined in patients with NSCLC (NCT00585195) who were enrolled into high (≥4 MET-to-CEP7 ratio), medium (>2.2 to <4 MET-to-CEP7 ratio), or low (≥1.8 to ≤2.2 MET-to-CEP7 ratio) amplification categories. Retrospective next-generation sequencing profiling was performed on archival tumor tissue. End points included objective response rate (ORR), duration of response, and progression-free survival.ResultsA total of 38 patients with a MET-to-CEP7 ratio greater than or equal to 1.8 by local fluorescence in situ hybridization testing received crizotinib. All patients were response-assessable, among whom 21, 14, and 3 had high, medium, and low MET amplification, respectively. ORRs of 8 of 21 (38.1%), 2 of 14 (14.3%), and 1 of 3 (33.3%), median duration of response of 5.2, 3.8, and 12.2 months, and median progression-free survival values of 6.7, 1.9, and 1.8 months were observed for those with high, medium, and low MET amplification, respectively. MET amplification gene copy number greater than or equal to 6 was detected by next-generation sequencing in 15 of 19 (78.9%) analyzable patients. Of these 15 patients, objective responses were observed in six (40%), two of whom had concurrent MET exon 14 alterations. No responses were observed among five patients with concurrent KRAS, BRAF, or EGFR mutations.ConclusionsPatients with high-level, MET-amplified NSCLC responded to crizotinib with the highest ORR. Use of combined diagnostics for MET and other oncogenes may potentially identify patients most likely to respond to crizotinib.     

Phase 1 Expansion Cohort of Ramucirumab Plus Pembrolizumab in Advanced Treatment-Naive NSCLC

IntroductionData of first-line ramucirumab plus pembrolizumab treatment of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1)–positive NSCLC (cohort E) are reported (NCT02443324).MethodsIn this multicenter, open-label phase 1a/b trial, patients received ramucirumab 10 mg/kg and pembrolizumab 200 mg every 21 days for up to 35 cycles. PD-L1 positivity was defined as tumor proportion score (TPS) greater than or equal to 1%. Exploratory NanoString biomarker analyses included three T-cell signatures (T-cell–inflamed, Gajewski, and effector T cells) and CD274 gene expression.ResultsCohort E included 26 patients. Treatment-related adverse events of any grade occurred in 22 patients (84.6%). Treatment-related adverse events of grade greater than or equal to 3 were reported in 11 patients (42.3%); the most frequent was hypertension (n = 4, 15.4%). Objective response rate was 42.3% in the treated population and 56.3% and 22.2% for patients with high (TPS ≥ 50%) and lower levels (TPS 1%–49%) of PD-L1 expression, respectively. Median progression-free survival (PFS) in the treated population was 9.3 months, and 12-month and 18-month PFS rates were 45% each. Median PFS was not reached in patients with PD-L1 TPS greater than or equal to 50% and was 4.2 months in patients with PD-L1 TPS 1% to 49%. Median overall survival was not reached in the treated population, and 12-month and 18-month overall survival rates were 73% and 64%, respectively. Biomarker data suggested a positive association among clinical response, three T-cell signatures, CD274 gene expression, and PD-L1 immunohistochemistry.ConclusionsFirst-line therapy with ramucirumab plus pembrolizumab has a manageable safety profile in patients with NSCLC, and the efficacy signal seems to be strongest in tumors with high PD-L1 expression.     

A Phase 2 Study of Atezolizumab for Pretreated NSCLC With Idiopathic Interstitial Pneumonitis

IntroductionInterstitial pneumonia (IP) is one of the most common and poor prognostic comorbidities in patients with NSCLC and a known risk factor for pneumonitis. Atezolizumab monotherapy is an established treatment for recurrent NSCLC and reported to have a lower risk of pneumonitis than programmed cell death protein 1 inhibitors. This study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of atezolizumab monotherapy in patients with pretreated advanced or recurrent NSCLC with idiopathic IP.MethodsPatients with advanced or recurrent NSCLC with comorbid idiopathic, chronic fibrotic IP with % forced vital capacity of greater than 70% and no history of immune checkpoint inhibitors were enrolled. The patients received atezolizumab (1200 mg) every 3 weeks until the discontinuation criteria were met. The primary end point of this study was the 1-year survival rate. A sample size of 38 patients was set.ResultsThis study was terminated early owing to high incidence of pneumonitis. A total of 17 patients were enrolled, with a median age of 70 years. The median % forced vital capacity and % diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide at baseline were 85.4% and 54.4%, respectively. The incidence of pneumonitis was 29.4% (5 of 17) for all grades, 23.5% (4 of 17) for grade greater than or equal to 3, and 5.9% (1 of 17) for grade 5. A total of 57.1% patients (4 of 7) with honeycomb lung developed pneumonitis with a grade greater than or equal to 3, whereas only one patient (10%) without honeycomb lung (n = 10) with grade 1 pneumonitis was found.ConclusionsPatients with NSCLC with comorbid IP as defined by the selection criteria for this study might have an increased risk of immune checkpoint inhibitor–induced pneumonitis.     

D-1553 (Garsorasib), a Potent and Selective Inhibitor of KRASG12C in Patients With NSCLC: Phase 1 Study Results

IntroductionD-1553 (garsorasib) is a potent and selective oral KRAS^G12C inhibitor. We report results from a phase I dose-escalation and dose-expansion study of D-1553 in patients with KRAS G12C–mutated NSCLC in multiple sites in the People’s Republic of China.MethodsPatients with KRAS G12C–mutated NSCLC have administrated D-1553 600 mg orally once daily, 800 mg once daily, 1200 mg once daily, 400 mg twice a day, or 600 mg twice a day in dose escalation. In dose-expansion, all patients received 600 mg twice a day. The safety, pharmacokinetics, and efficacy of D-1553 were evaluated.ResultsAmong a total of 79 treated patients, 75 patients (94.9%) reported treatment-related adverse events with 30 patients experiencing grade 3 or 4 events (38.0%). Most of the adverse events were manageable and the patients tolerated the study treatment well. Among 74 patients assessable for efficacy analysis, 30 patients had a partial response and 38 had stable disease with a confirmed objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) of 40.5% and 91.9%, respectively. The median progression-free survival was 8.2 months, and the median duration of response was 7.1 months. Among 62 patients assessable for response at the recommended phase 2 dose, partial response occurred in 24 patients (ORR, 38.7%) and stable disease in 32 patients (DCR, 90.3%). The median progression-free survival and duration of response were 7.6 months and 6.9 months, respectively. In patients with brain metastasis, ORR and DCR were 17% and 100%, respectively.ConclusionsD-1553 represents a promising therapeutic option for patients with KRAS G12C–mutated NSCLC with a well-tolerated safety profile and encouraging antitumor activity.