AZ triplet joins race to challenge Keytruda in 1L NSCLC

AstraZeneca has become the third company now to report positive results for a triplet immunotherapy and chemo regimen to treat first-line non-small cell lung cancer, but the jury is still out on how large the margin of benefit is and whether it could erode Keytruda’s grip on the market.

On Monday, AstraZeneca plc (LSE:AZN; NYSE:AZN) reported that its cancer immunotherapies Imfinzi durvalumab and tremelimumab when combined with chemotherapy met the co-primary endpoint of improved progression-free survival (PFS) over chemotherapy alone in patients with previously untreated metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The doublet of Imfinzi plus chemotherapy also met the PFS endpoint vs. chemotherapy alone in the Phase III POSEIDON trial. The margin of benefit for the two regimens was not disclosed and will be presented at an upcoming medical meeting...