Johnson & Johnson (J&J) announced that its combination drug therapy, consisting of Rybrevant (amivantamab) and lazertinib, significantly improved progression-free survival in patients with a specific type of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The therapy targets a common mutation in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) protein, which drives rapid cell growth in cancer.
The study evaluated the combination of Rybrevant, an antibody treatment, and lazertinib, an experimental drug, against chemotherapy in patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC. These patients had experienced disease progression despite prior treatment with AstraZeneca's Tagrisso (osimertinib), a standard therapy for this type of lung cancer. The trial met its primary endpoint, demonstrating a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival.
Rybrevant received approval in 2021 for a small subset (2-3%) of NSCLC patients with a specific EGFR mutation. This new data suggests a potential for broader application in EGFR-mutated NSCLC, addressing a significant unmet need in patients who develop resistance to first-line EGFR inhibitors like Tagrisso, which generated over $5.4 billion in revenue in 2022.
J&J is also conducting a head-to-head study comparing the Rybrevant and lazertinib combination with Tagrisso as a first-line treatment for NSCLC patients with EGFR mutations. Data from this trial is expected by the end of this year. If successful, the combination therapy could become a new standard of care for first-line treatment, potentially altering the treatment paradigm for this patient population.
The trial's success highlights the importance of ongoing research into novel therapeutic strategies to overcome resistance mechanisms in EGFR-mutated NSCLC. The results offer hope for improved outcomes in patients who currently have limited treatment options after progressing on existing therapies.
