AstraZeneca drugs show promising early results in advanced lung cancer

AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo presented new data in January 2021 on the early clinical activity of two drug candidates, datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd) and Enhertu, in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

The data, presented at the World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC), focused on two antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). Updated results from the TROPION-PanTumor01 trial indicated datopotamab deruxtecan, a TROP2-directed ADC, showed promising clinical activity. Additionally, an interim analysis from the DESTINY-Lung01 trial in a HER2-overexpressing patient cohort demonstrated preliminary anti-tumour activity for Enhertu, a HER2-directed ADC. NSCLC is the leading cause of cancer death globally, and prognosis for patients with advanced disease is often poor. Currently, no TROP2- or HER2-directed therapies are approved for this cancer type.

Datopotamab deruxtecan demonstrated an objective response rate (ORR) ranging from 21% to 25% in 159 patients receiving various doses of the drug. A disease control rate (DCR) of 67% to 80% was also observed, with a median progression-free survival (PFS) ranging from 4.3 to 8.2 months depending on the dose. Severe or greater treatment-emergent adverse events were reported, with the 4mg/kg and 6mg/kg doses being better tolerated than the 8mg/kg dose. The majority of patients had received at least three prior lines of therapy.

For Enhertu, preliminary findings indicated initial tumour shrinkage in patients with previously diagnosed metastatic NSCLC who exhibited HER2 protein. The results from both studies offer potential hope for patients with limited treatment options.