Imfinzi approved in China for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer

Imfinzi (durvalumab) has been approved in China for the first-line treatment of adult patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC), in combination with standard of care platinum chemotherapy (etoposide plus a choice of either carboplatin or cisplatin), the UK’s AstraZeneca (LSE: AZN) announced this morning.

The approval by China’s National Medical Products Administration was based on positive results from the CASPIAN Phase III trial. The trial showed that Imfinzi plus chemotherapy demonstrated a statistically-significant and clinically meaningful improvement in overall survival (OS) versus chemotherapy alone. In addition, results from the China cohort of patients were consistent with the global results.

Small cell lung cancer is a highly aggressive, fast-growing form of lung cancer that typically recurs and progresses rapidly despite initial response to chemotherapy. Prognosis is particularly poor, as only 7% of all SCLC patients and 3% of those with extensive-stage disease will be alive five years after diagnosis.