Roche files for approval of Tecentriq in small cell lung cancer

Small cell lung cancer is less common but more aggressive than non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It grows quicker and spreads beyond the lung and adjacent lymph nodes earlier. Two thirds of patients have advanced disease when they are diagnosed, and whilst extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) is fairly responsive to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, relapse rates are high and survival can often be a year or less. It is unlikely that any more than 5% of ES-SCLC patients will live beyond five years.

Roche’s PD-L1 inhibitor Tecentriq (atezolizumab) is the first cancer immunotherapy to improve survival in ES-SCLC patients, and they intend to file for global approval thereof based on the results of the IMpower133 study. Not all details have been disclosed at this stage, however Roche are of the opinion that they will be able to secure regulatory approval because Tecentriq achieved a statistically significant reduction in both overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) at the interim analysis of the study which looked at using it as a front-line therapy for ES-SCLC together with chemotherapy.

Roche’s chief medical officer Sandra Horning said: “These are the first positive Phase III survival results for any immunotherapy-based combination in the initial treatment of ES-SCLC, a particularly difficult-to-treat type of disease”.