Amgen drug combination shows mortality reduction in small cell lung cancer trial

A Phase 3 clinical trial, known as DeLLphi-305, found that the combination of Amgen’s Imdelltra (tarlatamab) and AstraZeneca’s Imfinzi (durvalumab) reduced the risk of death by 58% in patients with previously untreated extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). The findings were presented at the ESMO Presidential Symposium and published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Data from the study showed that nearly 80% of participants receiving the combination therapy remained alive after one year, compared to 53% of those treated with Imfinzi alone. Furthermore, the trial reported that progression-free survival for the combination group was more than triple that of the control group.

Small cell lung cancer remains a condition with limited therapeutic options and historically poor outcomes. These results suggest a potential shift in the first-line treatment landscape for patients facing this diagnosis. The study marks a significant development in testing the efficacy of bispecific T-cell engagers alongside existing checkpoint inhibitors.

Regulatory authorities are expected to review these findings as the company seeks expanded indications for the use of Imdelltra in earlier stages of the disease.