Novartis ALK+ Metastatic NSCLC Therapy Zykadia Extends PFS Beyond 18 Months

(RTTNews) - Novartis (NVS) announced updated results from Phase II study (ASCEND-3), which demonstrated that anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive (ALK+) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients taking Zykadia (ceritinib).

Results were presented during an oral session at the Annual European Society for Medical Oncology Congress (ESMO) in Copenhagen.

In phase II study Novartis ALK+ metastatic NSCLC therapy Zykadia extends progression-free survival of 18.4 months [95% CI: 10.9-26.3; median follow-up time of 25.9 months, as measured by blinded independent review committee (BIRC).

Phase II study also showed overall response rate of 63.3% in ALKi-na?ve patients with brain metastases at baseline, and a disease control rate (DCR) of 83.7% (95% CI:70.3-92.7), both as measured by BIRC per blinded independent review committee.

Progression-free survival (PFS) in ALKi-na?ve patients is consistent with results previously reported from Phase I ASCEND-1 study, the company specified.

Novartis' dedication to exploring Zykadia's efficacy in ALK+ NSCLC patients continues to grow, with first-line data from Phase III study expected in Q4 2016.