Chinese researchers have achieved a significant breakthrough in lung cancer treatment, demonstrating that a domestically developed drug combination outperforms the current international standard therapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer. The findings were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's annual meeting, marking a milestone for Chinese pharmaceutical innovation.
Superior Survival Outcomes
The combination therapy of Benmelstobart injection and Anlotinib capsules showed remarkable efficacy in treating PD-L1-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients. Cancer patients treated with the combination therapy experienced a median progression-free survival increase of 3.9 months compared with those receiving pembrolizumab (Keytruda), reaching 11 months in total, with a 30 percent reduction in disease progression and death risk.
Professor Han Baohui of Shanghai Chest Hospital Affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University presented these findings at the world's largest and most authoritative clinical oncology conference. The results are particularly significant given that pembrolizumab has long been the standard first-line treatment for PD-L1-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients, with a median progression-free survival of about six months.
Phase III Clinical Trial Results
The drug combination was tested in the "CAMPASS study," a randomized, Phase III clinical trial that enrolled more than 500 patients as a first-line treatment for PD-L1-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients. The study was presented in the conference's highest category of Late-Breaking Abstract, underscoring its clinical significance.
Both drugs in the combination were developed by Hong Kong-listed Sino Biopharmaceutical. Benmelstobart is an innovative anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody developed independently by Sino Biopharm, while Anlotinib is the only approved multi-target anti-angiogenic tyrosine kinase inhibitor for third-line and above treatment of non-small cell lung cancer in China.
Broad Patient Benefits
Clinical research data indicated that almost all subgroups of patients benefited from the combination therapy, with the overall response rate and disease control rate also improving compared with pembrolizumab alone. The benefits were particularly pronounced in patients with high PD-L1 expression.
Professor Li Kai, co-lead researcher of the study and an oncologist at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, explained: "In the clinical research, among the patients with high PD-L1 expression, the median progression-free survival with pembrolizumab treatment was 7.2 months, whereas that with the combination regimen reached 13.3 months, benefiting patients more effectively."
Global Impact and Significance
Han emphasized the global significance of these results, stating: "As the world's first combination of an anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody and a multi-target small molecule anti-angiogenic drug that has achieved positive results over pembrolizumab, this therapy may provide a superior first-line treatment option for PD-L1-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients."
Eric Tse, CEO of Sino Biopharm, highlighted the broader implications for Chinese pharmaceutical innovation: "Such an achievement of winning over the world's recognized 'king of medicine' signified that domestic innovative therapies have penetrated the forefront of international cancer treatment, potentially transitioning from followers to leaders in the field."
Addressing Critical Medical Need
The breakthrough addresses a significant global health challenge. Global cancer data in 2022 showed lung cancer ranked first in both incidence and mortality worldwide and in China among all malignant tumors, with non-small cell lung cancer accounting for more than 80 percent of all lung cancers.
Li expressed hope that the treatment combination would be approved soon to benefit more patients. At the ASCO meeting, Chinese researchers had more than 70 original research studies selected for oral presentations, with Sino Biopharm having 12 clinical studies selected for oral presentations, setting a new record for Chinese pharmaceutical enterprises.
