ASH: Three-year PFS data demonstrate Adcetris plus AVD benefit of 83.1%

US biotech firm Seattle Genetics’ (Nasdaq: SGEN) shares gained 2.75% to $64.3-in pre-market trading today, after it highlighted data from the ECHELON-1 Phase III clinical trial evaluating Adcetris (brentuximab vedotin) in combination with AVD (Adriamycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine) in newly-diagnosed stage III or IV classical Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) at the 60th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition taking place in San Diego, California, December 1-4.

In March 2018, the US Food and Drug Administration approved Adcetris in combination with AVD for the treatment of adult patients with previously untreated stage III or IV classical HL based on the positive results of the ECHELON-1 Phase III clinical trial. Adcetris is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) directed to CD30, a defining marker of classical HL that plays a role in tumor growth and survival.

“Prior to the FDA approval of Adcetris in combination with AVD, up to 30% of patients with advanced stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma would not respond or would relapse following frontline treatment with ABVD, demonstrating a need for more effective treatment options,” said Dr Roger Dansey, chief medical officer at Seattle Genetics. “Additional analyses from the ECHELON-1 Phase III clinical trial show that with an additional 18 months of follow-up, the benefit of Adcetris plus AVD was maintained compared to ABVD. Select presentations at the ASH Annual Meeting underscore the benefit of Adcetris plus AVD in frontline advanced stage HL,” he noted.