Novartis' tislelizumab plus chemo significantly improved OS in advanced esophageal cancer

27 April 2022

Swiss pharma giant Novartis (NOVN: VX) today announced positive top-line results from an interim analysis of the Phase III RATIONALE 306 study, which showed anti-PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor tislelizumab plus chemotherapy significantly improved overall survival (OS) compared to chemotherapy in patients with previously untreated unresectable, locally advanced, recurrent or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), regardless of PD-L1 expression.

Novartis intends to submit these data to regulatory authorities, and will collaborate with Sino-America biotech BeiGene (Nasdaq: BGNE) to present them at an upcoming medical meeting.

Novartis has the rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize tislelizumab in North America, Europe and Japan through a collaboration and license agreement with BeiGene, which has gained approval for marketing the drug in eight cancer indications in China.

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