Imfinzi receives NICE recommendation for lung cancer treatment

Trial results lead to new treatment option for lung cancer

AstraZeneca’s Imfinzi (durvalumab) in combination with chemotherapy has been recommended by NICE for treating adults with resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

This decision is based on positive results from the AEGEAN phase 3 trial, making Imfinzi available on the NHS across England and Wales.

“Patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) continue to face unacceptably high rates of disease recurrence within five years of surgery,” said Dr John Conibear, Clinical Director of Thoracic Oncology at Barts Cancer Centre. He emphasized the importance of integrating surgery with systemic therapies for better outcomes.

The AEGEAN trial showed that durvalumab combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy before surgery and as adjuvant monotherapy after surgery reduced the risk of recurrence, progression or death by 32% compared to chemotherapy alone.

At 24 months, 63.3% of patients treated with durvalumab were event-free, compared to 52.4% in the placebo group.

“Durvalumab-based treatment before and after surgery significantly increased the time patients can live without recurrence or progression events,” added Dr Conibear.

Tom Keith-Roach, President of AstraZeneca UK, commented, “Resectable non-small cell lung cancer is a devastating and life-limiting diagnosis. It’s critical we double-down in our efforts to diagnose cancer early and increase treatment options.”

The treatment was well tolerated, with no new safety signals observed, and most patients completed surgery. Grade 3/4 adverse events were similar between groups.

This recommendation follows the European Commission’s 2018 approval of durvalumab for unresectable NSCLC.

Nearly 50,000 people are diagnosed with lung cancer annually in the UK, with significant economic impact.

AstraZeneca’s efforts aim to improve survival rates and reduce the burden of lung cancer on patients and the healthcare system.