Latest lung cancer data could open new avenue for Roche’s Tecentriq

Roche is eyeing a new use for its checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy Tecentriq after it posted results showing it extended patients’ lives by an extra two months compared with chemotherapy in untreated small cell lung cancer. The IMpower 133 trial was testing Tecentriq plus chemotherapy, compared with chemotherapy alone in patients with untreated extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer.
Results from the phase 3 trial announced at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer annual conference this week showed patients on the Tecentriq and chemotherapy combination lived for a median 12.3 months. Those on chemotherapy alone lived for 10.3 months, according to the new data, which followed an announcement in June that said results were positive but providing no further details.