AstraZeneca receives positive NICE recommendations for lung cancer treatments

UK —AstraZeneca has received two significant recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for its lung cancer treatments, Imfinzi and Tagrisso, bringing hope to patients across England and Wales.

These endorsements come at a crucial time, as lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the UK, accounting for 21% of all cancer fatalities.

Each year, nearly 50,000 individuals, or more than 130 per day, are diagnosed with lung cancer in the UK.

Among these, small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is one of the most aggressive and fast-growing forms, often leading to rapid recurrence and progression.

Imfinzi, a treatment combining durvalumab with etoposide and either carboplatin or cisplatin, has been approved for adults with untreated extensive-stage SCLC (ES-SCLC).

This recommendation is based on positive data from the CASPIAN Phase III trial, which demonstrated significant improvements in overall survival.

Commenting on the recommendation of Imfinzi Dr. Meenali Chitnis, Consultant Thoracic Medical Oncologist at Oxford University, emphasized the importance of this decision, describing ES-SCLC as a devastating diagnosis with poor prognosis.

She stated that the positive results from the CASPIAN trial provide clinicians with an effective treatment option for patients battling this challenging disease.

In addition, NICE has recommended Tagrisso (osimertinib) as an adjuvant treatment following complete tumor resection in adults with stage IB-IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have specific genetic mutations, such as EGFR exon 19 deletions or exon 21 (L858R) substitutions.

This decision marks a significant milestone for osimertinib, which, after a three-year period within the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF), has now successfully transitioned to full baseline commissioning within NHS England.

The ADAURA Phase 3 trial, which demonstrated meaningful improvements in overall survival, provided the evidence behind this recommendation.

Tom Keith-Roach, President of AstraZeneca UK, celebrated the positive outcome, noting that these decisions bring hope to lung cancer patients and align with AstraZeneca’s bold ambition to eliminate cancer as a cause of death.

With these new treatment options, the outlook for many patients is brighter, offering better chances for survival and a higher quality of life.

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