HLB's anticancer new drug 'Rivoceranib' has confirmed its potential in lung cancer through combination therapy with Chinese Hansoh Pharmaceutical's 'Camrelizumab', following its application in liver cancer.
On the 18th, according to HLB, Hansoh Pharmaceutical, which holds the Chinese rights for Rivoceranib (Chinese name Apatinib), recently presented the results of a Phase 2 clinical trial of this combination therapy in patients with unresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at the '2023 European Society for Medical Oncology Immuno-Oncology Congress (ESMO Immuno-Oncology Congress 2023)'. The European Immuno-Oncology Congress, held from the 6th to 8th in Geneva, Switzerland, is a specialized immunology conference organized by the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO).
This clinical trial was conducted at seven hospitals, including the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Cancer Hospital, involving 42 patients with non-progressive NSCLC after chemoradiotherapy. The clinical results showed complete remission (CR) in 3 patients (7.1%) and partial remission (PR) in 8 patients (19%). Progression-free survival (PFS) was 88.8% at 6 months and 68.8% at 12 months. Other indicators included an objective response rate (ORR) of 26.2% and a disease control rate (DCR) of 81.0%. Adverse reactions such as hypertension and hand-foot syndrome were observed but were manageable.
Professor Hui Zhouguang, who led the clinical trial, stated, “This trial was planned to establish an appropriate subsequent treatment strategy for patients who had previously undergone chemoradiotherapy,” adding, “The combination of Rivoceranib and Camrelizumab could be an optimal alternative.”
Meanwhile, the combination therapy of Rivoceranib and Camrelizumab is expected to have its new drug approval decision by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by May 16 next year, according to the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) for liver cancer treatment. HLB is strongly considering expanding additional clinical trials in various liver cancer fields, including neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapies, and is exploring indications expansion to multiple cancer types such as lung cancer and nasopharyngeal cancer.
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