HQ Team
January 8, 2025: Johnson & Johnson’s combination therapy for treating a certain form of cancer without chemotherapy, has been shown to extend patients’ lives by more than a year, according to a company statement.
A combination of rybrevant (amivantamab-vmjw) and lazcluze (lazertinib) treatment has demonstrated a “clinically meaningful and statistically significant improvement” in the overall survival, compared to AstraZeneca’s Tagrisso (osimertinib) drug.
“Improvement in median overall survival is expected to exceed one year,” according to the statement. The drug is meant to treat patients with one of the most common cancers, non-small cell lung cancer, which constitutes 80% to 85% of all lung cancer cases.
Progression-free survival tracks the time a treatment keeps a patient’s cancer from progressing. Overall survival helps patients understand the impact therapy could have on their ability to live longer from the start of treatment.
Risk of thrombosis
“Extending life expectancy is the most meaningful indicator of a treatment’s impact.”
Separate studies showed that administering oral anticoagulant medicines prophylactically during the initial four months of the rybrevant and lazcluze regimen significantly reduced the risk of thrombosis, according to the statement.
Non-small cell lung cancer often has specific gene changes that help drive its growth. One is called Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR). This gene plays a key role in controlling how cells grow and divide.
Mutations or changes in the EGFR gene can lead to uncontrolled cell growth, contributing to cancer.
First-line treatment
“The combination of these two agents previously demonstrated an improvement in progression-free survival, but this does not always capture the impact on the entire treatment course. Evaluation of overall survival can better demonstrate the benefit of a first-line treatment regimen,” said Stephen Liu, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine.
“Seeing this increase in overall survival in a trial with mature data is powerful and reaffirms that first-line treatment with rybrevant and lazcluze can lead to better patient outcomes.”
Yusri Elsayed, MD, MHSc, PhD., Global Therapeutic Area Head, Oncology, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine said: “With less than 20% of patients living beyond five years, an incredible unmet need remains for EGFR-positive lung cancer.”
Sharing data
The data showed the combination drug could “extend survival beyond the current standard of care, providing patients with more time and hope in their fight against this devastating disease,” he said.
J&J’s combination drug was approved in August based on data that it helps patients live without their disease worsening.
“Due to the impact of these data on patient care, these overall survival results will be presented at an upcoming major medical meeting and shared with global health authorities.”
