BRIEF—Tagrisso data show benefits in fighting lung cancer complication

AstraZeneca has presented new data from a subgroup analysis of the Phase III FLAURA trial on the use of Tagrisso (osimertinib) as a first-line therapy in locally advanced or metastatic epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Results presented at the ESMO Asia 2017 Congress in Singapore showed that patients with central nervous system (CNS) metastases at baseline had a higher objective response rate with their brain metastasis and suggest a lower risk of CNS progression when treated with Tagrisso, a third-generation, irreversible EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), versus current standard-of-care EGFR-TKIs (erlotinib or gefitinib).

Johan Vansteenkiste, respiratory oncologist at the University Hospital KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium, said: “CNS metastases, including brain metastases, are a common and very disabling complication of advanced EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC.

“They are notoriously difficult to treat, as existing oral therapies are often unable to effectively cross the blood-brain barrier. The CNS efficacy results for osimertinib in the FLAURA trial suggest improved clinical outcomes in an area of great unmet medical need.”

Sean Bohen, executive vice president, global medicines development, and chief medical officer at AstraZeneca, said: “Osimertinib represents the next generation of targeted therapies in EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC, and its CNS activity has been demonstrated in the AURA3, BLOOM and FLAURA trials.

“This subgroup analysis of FLAURA further supports data presented earlier this year in demonstrating the consistent benefit of osimertinib when used as a first-line therapy, irrespective of the presence of CNS metastases at study entry.”