HLB "Lenvatinib Demonstrates Large-Scale Complete Remission Cases at 'ASCO GI 2021'"

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunseok Yoo] HL Biopharma announced on the 14th that four papers on the targeted anticancer drug Rivoceranib (Chinese name Apatinib) will be presented at the 'American Society of Clinical Oncology Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium (ASCO GI 2021)'.

The symposium, held online from the 15th to the 17th (local time), will feature poster presentations of clinical results of Rivoceranib as monotherapy or combination therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma, esophageal cancer, and other cancers supported by Hansoh Pharmaceutical, including treatment outcomes for gastric cancer.

In particular, 'real-world data' from prescribing the oral anticancer drug 'Aitan', used for gastric cancer patients in China, to a diverse patient group of one thousand from first- to third-line treatment, will be disclosed. 'Aitan' is the Chinese brand name of Rivoceranib, for which HL Biopharma has completed Phase 3 clinical trials targeting advanced gastric cancer patients and is preparing a New Drug Application (NDA). This data will help gauge the efficacy and competitiveness of Rivoceranib in the global market.

According to the disclosed paper abstracts, 35 patients achieved complete remission, with a complete remission rate of 3.9%, which the company evaluated as an unprecedentedly high figure.

The primary efficacy endpoints showed a median progression-free survival (mPFS) of 5.32 months, median overall survival (mOS) of 9.76 months, objective response rate (ORR) of 16.76%, and disease control rate (DCR) of 82.91%. Furthermore, when Rivoceranib was combined with other drugs, results showed mPFS of 5.62 months vs. 4.47 months, mOS of 10.81 months vs. 7.95 months, ORR of 18.21% vs. 13.04%, and DCR of 84.88% vs. 77.87% compared to monotherapy, confirming the advantage of combination therapy.

Rivoceranib is a targeted anticancer drug that inhibits angiogenesis and tumor cell proliferation by targeting vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) and normalizes immune cells, showing high versatility across various cancer types. An HL Biopharma official stated, “Rivoceranib (Chinese name Apatinib), which has been sold as a gastric cancer treatment in China for seven years, has seen increasing sales every year,” adding, “The 'real-world data' presented at this ASCO GI symposium once again proves the outstanding efficacy of Rivoceranib for gastric cancer, establishing it as a best-in-class gastric cancer treatment.”