Cancer Immunotherapy Combo Disappoints
Gilead and Arcus, two pharmaceutical companies, have shared new findings from a Phase II study of their experimental cancer treatment. The study tested a combination of drugs aimed at boosting the immune system to fight cancer. The latest results showed that the treatment had lower rates of preventing cancer progression compared to previous findings. This has sparked debate among experts about the effectiveness of the treatment.
The drugs being tested are meant to treat a type of lung cancer called non-small cell lung cancer. In December, initial data from the study received mixed reactions. The new analysis, presented at a medical conference, included a few more patients than before, but the rates of cancer progression were lower. However, Gilead downplayed the differences and said that the larger sample size and longer follow-up supported the consistency of the outcomes.
Gilead and Arcus plan to use these findings to support their ongoing Phase III studies in different settings of non-small cell lung cancer and another important trial for gastric cancer. They believe that the benefits of the treatment seen in the new data will continue in the additional studies.
The study included two groups of 50 patients each
. One group received two drugs, while the other group received three drugs. The median time it took for cancer to progress in these groups was 9.3 months and 9.9 months, respectively. However, these figures were lower than the previous update, which reported 12.0 months and 10.9 months of progression-free survival. The researchers also noted that the risk of cancer progression increased slightly in both groups.The data about the overall survival of the patients is still not complete, so it is uncertain how the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) will evaluate the results. Overall survival is an important measure of the effectiveness of a treatment in keeping patients alive. Bill Grossman, an executive at Gilead, acknowledged that overall survival is the most critical endpoint in determining the success of the treatment.
The study also included a group of patients who received only one of the drugs being tested. The median time to cancer progression for this group remained the same in both updates, at 5.4 months. However, the researchers did not compare the statistical significance of this group to the groups receiving two or three drugs.
The latest reports represents data from all 150 patients in the trial. Prior to this update, Gilead and Arcus had made optimistic statements about the treatment without providing detailed data, leading to speculation among analysts and in the market.
The pharmaceutical industry has shown great interest in a class of drugs called TIGIT inhibitors, which are believed to enhance the effectiveness of existing immunotherapy drugs. However, previous studies of similar drugs by other companies have not been successful, causing some skepticism in the field. Despite this, some experts, including Grossman, still believe that TIGIT inhibitors can be effective when used in combination with other drugs. They see potential in combining different immunotherapy treatments to improve outcomes for cancer patients.
Cancer Immunotherapy Combo Disappoints – Latest News
