For patients with <em>BRAF</em>-mutant advanced melanoma, the BRAF inhibitor encorafenib combined with the MEK inhibitor binimetinib demonstrated significant improvements in progression-free survival (PFS) compared with single-agent vemurafenib or encorafenib, according to updated findings from the phase III COLUMBUS trial presented at the 2017 ESMO Congress.
Treatment with the PD-L1 inhibitor durvalumab (Imfinzi) improved median PFS by 11.2 months compared with placebo for patients with locally advanced, unresectable stage III non–small cell lung cancer who had not progressed following chemoradiotherapy, according to phase III results from the PACIFIC trial presented at the 2017 ESMO Congress.
In results from the phase III FLAURA study of frontline osimertinib (Tagrisso) in patients with <em>EGFR</em>-mutant non–small cell lung cancer, osimertinib demonstrated a progression-free survival rate of 18.9 months (95% CI, 12.5-21.4), which was significantly improved over standard therapy.
According to findings from the phase III ALUR and ALEX studies announced ahead of the 2017 ESMO Congress,<sup> </sup>Alectinib demonstrated promising efficacy for patients with <em>ALK</em>-translocated non–small cell lung cancer with central nervous system metastases in both the first- and second-line setting.
The PARP inhibitor Rucaparib (Rubraca) improved median progression-free survival by 11.2 months compared with placebo as a maintenance treatment for patients with <em>BRCA</em>-mutant platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer, according to findings from the phase III ARIEL3 trial presented at the 2017 ESMO Congress.
The FDA has granted its approval to olaparib tablets (Lynparza) as a maintenance therapy for patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer, who are in a complete or partial response to platinum-based chemotherapy, regardless of <em>BRCA</em> status.
Inotuzumab ozogamicin (Besponsa) has received FDA approval for the treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), based on findings from the phase III INO-VATE trial.
The combination of carfilzomib (Kyprolis), lenalidomide (Revlimid), and dexamethasone reduced the risk of death by 21% compared with lenalidomide and dexamethasone alone for patients with relapsed multiple myeloma following prior treatment with 1 to 3 regimens.
Roy S. Herbst, MD, PhD, discusses how the therapeutic paradigm will continue to evolve in the next few years for non–small cell lung cancer, with an increased emphasis on rational combinations and biomarkers.
David R. Gandara, MD, discusses toxicity management with the combination of dabrafenib and trametinib in non–small cell lung cancer.
CPX-351 (Vyxeos), a fixed-combination of daunorubicin and cytarabine, has been approved by the FDA for adult patients with newly diagnosed therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia (t-AML) or AML with myelodysplasia-related changes (AML-MRC), based on an improvement in overall survival (OS) in a phase III study.
Enasidenib (Idhifa) has been approved by the FDA as a treatment for patients with relapsed or refractory <em>IDH2</em>-mutated acute myeloid leukemia (AML), based on findings from a phase I/II study. A companion diagnostic, the RealTime IDH2 Assay, was also approved for the detection of the <em>IDH2</em> mutation.
Checkpoint inhibitors against PD-1 and PD-L1 have demonstrated promising efficacy as monotherapies and in combination with chemotherapy for patients with triple-negative breast cancer, with phase III data on the horizon
Blinatumomab (Blincyto) has been granted a full approval by the FDA as a treatment for adults and children with relapsed/refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia, regardless of Philadelphia chromosome status.
Panitumumab has been approved by the FDA in combination with FOLFOX as a frontline treatment for patients with <em>RAS</em> wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer.
ClearLLab multicolor reagents (T1, T2, B1, B2, M) has been approved by the FDA for the detection of chronic leukemia, acute leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, multiple myeloma, myelodysplastic syndrome, and myeloproliferative neoplasms.
Treatment with lenvatinib in the first-line setting of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma improved progression-free survival by 3.7 months and was noninferior for overall survival (OS) compared with sorafenib.
Treatment with nintedanib plus pemetrexed and cisplatin improved progression-free survival (PFS) in the frontline setting by 3.7 months for chemotherapy-naive patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.
Combining the IDO inhibitor epacadostat with nivolumab demonstrated promising signs of activity for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck and those with melanoma.
Ublituximab (TG-1101) in combination with ibrutinib (Imbruvica) met its primary endpoint of showing an improvement in objective response rate (ORR) compared with ibruitinib monotherapy in patients with previously treated high-risk chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). In a presentation of findings from the phase III GENUINE trial during the 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting, data were reviewed demonstrating that the combination had an ORR of 78% in this patient population.
Lenalidomide consolidation therapy following induction with fludarabine and rituximab (Rituxan) was found to increase long-term survival over survival rates seen with FR or FR plus cyclophosphamide in an overall survival plateau that intrigued researchers when examined in patients with symptomatic, treatment-naive chronic lymphocytic leukemia without an 11q deletion.
In updated findings from the KEYNOTE-059 trial of pembrolizumab in advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer, the PD-1 inhibitor maintained signs of its clinical benefit in this patient population, which is encouraging as the indication is currently under consideration for approval with the FDA.
Updated results from the phase III MONALEESA-2 trial presented during the 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting confirmed the benefit of frontline ribociclib (Kisqali) in combination with letrozole in patients with postmenopausal hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer. The combination showed a progression-free survival (PFS) benefit of 9.3 months compared with letrozole plus placebo.
Axicabtagene ciloleucel (KTE-C19; axi-cel) has been granted a priority review by the FDA for transplant-ineligible patients with relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Overall survival was improved by 15 months for patients with macroscopically resected biliary tract cancer who were treated with adjuvant capecitabine compared with observation alone.
V212, a new inactivated varicella zoster virus vaccine, lowered the cumulative incidence rate of herpes zoster (HZ) infections and HZ-related complications for patients undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation.
A retrospective analysis presented at the 2017 AACR Annual Meeting found the flexibility of CAR T cells to perform multiple functions was associated with the level of clinical activity elicited for patients with advanced non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
The IDO1 inhibitor BMS-986205 had "best-in-class" activity as demonstrated by kynurenine reductions and IDO1 inhibition for patients with advanced tumors in a phase I/IIa study.
The irreversible pan-HER tyrosine kinase inhibitor neratinib showed single-agent activity across cohorts of patients with <em>HER2</em>-mutant advanced cancers, according to findings from the phase II SUMMIT study presented at the 2017 AACR Annual Meeting.
A biologics license application has been submitted for axicabtagene ciloleucel (KTE-C19) as a potential treatment for transplant ineligible patients with relapsed or refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma.