One tablet halves risk of death from lung cancer: Clinical trial results of Osimertinib by AstraZeneca

2023-06-05 08:10:07

Taking osimertinib resulted in a 51% reduction in the risk of death for treated patients, compared to a placebo.

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Published on 05/06/2023 10:10

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One tablet has been shown to halve the risk of death from a certain type of lung cancer when taken daily after surgery to remove the tumour. These results “impressive” of a clinical trial were presented on Sunday June 4 at a conference in Chicago (United States).

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Lung cancer is the cancer that causes the most deaths, with approximately 1.8 million deaths deplored each year worldwide. Osimertinib (marketed under the name Tagrisso) is a treatment developed by the pharmaceutical group AstraZeneca. It concerns patients suffering from so-called “non-small cell” cancer (the most common form), and presenting a particular type of mutation. This concerns 10% to 25% of patients with lung cancer in the United States and Europe, and 30% to 40% in Asia.

The clinical trial included 680 participants at an early stage of the disease, in more than 20 countries. Taking the tablet resulted in a 51% reduction in the risk of death for treated patients, compared to placebo. After five years, 88% of patients who took the treatment were still alive, compared to 78% of patients who took the placebo.