IMpower133 findings set new standard of care
The Food and Drug Administration has approved atezolizumab (Tecentriq), in combination with carboplatin and etoposide, for the first-line treatment of adults with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC).
Approval was based on results from the phase 3 IMpower133 study, in which 403 treatment-naive patients with ES-SCLC received atezolizumab at 1,200 mg with carboplatin at 5 mg/mL per minute on day 1 and etoposide 100 mg/m2 on days 1, 2, and 3 of a 21-day cycle for four cycles, followed by atezolizumab at 1,200 mg once every 3 weeks until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity; or received placebo with the same dosage of carboplatin and etoposide for a similar duration.
Overall survival was significantly better in patients who received atezolizumab, compared with placebo (12.3 vs. 10.3 months; hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval, 0.54-0.91; P = .0069), as was progression-free survival (5.2 vs. 4.3 months; HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.62-0.96; P = .017).
The most common adverse events associated with atezolizumab in the study were fatigue/asthenia, nausea, alopecia, constipation, and decreased appetite.
According to the FDA, the recommended dose is 1,200 mg IV over 60 minutes every 3 weeks. When administered on the same day as chemotherapy, atezolizumab should be given first. If the first infusion is tolerated, all subsequent infusions can be delivered over 30 minutes.
Find the full press release on the FDA website.