'Imfinzi' shown to be effective for liver cancer

alongside bile duct cancer, expanding its uses in gastrointestinal cancer

Imfinzi plus Imjudo combination therapy confirmed efficacy as a 1st-line therapy for liver cancer

“Combination therapy has reduced risk of bleeding…more use for liver cancer”

Hong Jae Chon, Professor of the Department of Hemato-Oncology at CHA Bundang Medical Center

Imfinzi, an immunotherapy treatment for cancer, demonstrated effectiveness for liver cancer in addition to bile duct cancer.

 

Consequently, it is expanding its uses in gastrointestinal cancer.

 

AstraZeneca confirmed the effectiveness of Imfinzi in combination therapy with Imjudo, which targets CTL-A4, as a first-line treatment for liver cancer.

 

The medical experts analyzed that this combination therapy has given hope for extended survival in patients with liver cancer.

 

AstraZeneca hosted a press conference at Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas on May 14th to commemorate the launch of a combination therapy, Imfinzi plus Imjudo.

 

AstraZeneca’s Imfinzi is an immunotherapy for cancer that targets PD-1.

 

It has been launched as a combination therapy with Imjudo, which targets CTL-A4, for the treatment of liver cancer.

 

In June of last year, Imjudo was approved as a combination therapy with Imfinzi for the first-line treatment of liver cancer.

 

Through this launch, Imfinzi has expanded its treatment area in gastrointestinal cancer, including bile duct cancer and liver cancer.

 

Imfinzi was approved as a first-line treatment for bile duct cancer last month.

 

The HIMALAYA Phase 3 trial demonstrated the effectiveness of Imfinzi plus Imjudo combination therapy.

 

The trial compared the efficacy and the safety profile of Imfinzi plus Imjudo combination therapy to Bayer’s Nexavar, enrolling 1,171 patients with unresectable liver cancer who are 18 and over and have no prior treatment history.

 

As part of the treatment regimen, Imfinzi plus Imjudo was administered on day 1 of week 1, followed by Imfinzi monotherapy only for the next 4 weeks.

 

Nexabar was administered twice per day.

 

Clinical results showed that Imfinzi plus Imjudo combination therapy reduced the risk of death by 22% compared to Nexabar monotherapy.

 

Imfinzi plus Imjudo combination therapy’s overall survival (OS) was 16.4 months, whereas that of Nexabar monotherapy was 13.8 months.

 

The difference in OS between Imfinzi plus Imjudo combination therapy and Nexabar monotherapy expanded over time.

 

At week 18 of treatment, the OS of Imfinzi plus Imjudo was 48.7%, and that of Nexabar was 41.5%.

 

The difference in OS was maintained up to 3 years of treatment.

 

For the safety profile, the rate of Grade 3 or Grade 4 treatment-related adverse drug reactions in Imfinzi plus Imjudo combination therapy was 25.8%, and that of monotherapy was 36.9%.

 

The Imfinzi plus Imjudo combination therapy is expected to compete with Roche’s combination therapy of Tecentriq, an immunotherapy for cancer, and Avastin, a targeted anticancer agent.

 

Previously, Tecentriq and Avastin also proved to improve OS compared to Nexabar.

 

Hong Jae Chon, Professor of the Department of Hemato-Oncology at CHA Bundang Medical Center, said, “In addition to Imfinzi, we now have more treatment options for liver cancer with the emergence of Tecentriq combination therapy.

 

The advantage of Imfinzi plus Imjudo combination therapy is reduced risk of bleeding.

 

The risk of bleeding in patients with liver cancer is high due to decreased liver function.

 

Because Imfinzi combination therapy has reduced risk of bleeding, endoscopic surgery is possible right away.” “Patients with liver cancer who have accompanying liver function reduction have a high mortality rate.

 

However, Imfinzi does not worsen the liver function.

 

Based on my experience, treatment outcome is better than expected,” Chon added.

 

“If combination therapy reimbursement is approved, its use will increase.

 

Currently, it will be used without coverage for patients requiring the therapy.”