Pharmaceutical Business review

Lynparza delays disease progression in phase III trial for ovarian cancer

Women with BRCA-mutated (BRCAm) advanced ovarian cancer treated 1st-line with Lynparza maintenance therapy had a statistically-significant and clinically-meaningful improvement in progression-free survival compared to placebo.

The safety and tolerability profile of Lynparza was consistent with previous trials. Based upon these data, AstraZeneca and MSD plan to initiate discussions with health authorities regarding regulatory submissions.

AstraZeneca global medicines development executive vice president and chief medical officer Sean Bohen said: “For the first time, we see a significant and clinically-impactful improvement in progression-free survival in the 1st-line maintenance setting for women with BRCA-mutated ovarian cancer treated with a PARP inhibitor.

“The SOLO-1 data reinforce the importance of knowing BRCA status at diagnosis, as this may enable women with BRCA-mutated ovarian cancer to receive Lynparza earlier. We would like to thank the investigators, hospitals and most of all the patients who took part in this trial, without whom medical advancements would not be possible.”

Roy Baynes, senior vice president and head of global clinical development, chief medical officer, MSD Research Laboratories, said: “Building on the strong data we’ve seen with Lynparza to date, the data from SOLO-1 reinforces Lynparza’s ability to provide meaningful disease control with a well-characterised safety and tolerability profile.

“We look forward to presenting the full data set for SOLO-1 at a future medical meeting and working with regulatory authorities to bring Lynparza to women with ovarian cancer in the 1st-line maintenance setting as quickly as possible.”

Additionally, the ongoing GINECO/ENGOTov25 Phase III trial, PAOLA-1, is testing the effect of Lynparza in combination with bevacizumab as a 1st-line maintenance treatment in women with newly-diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer, regardless of their BRCA status. Results are expected in 2019.

SOLO-1 is a Phase III randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, multicentre trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Lynparza tablets as 1st-line maintenance monotherapy compared with placebo, in patients with BRCAm advanced ovarian cancer.

The trial randomised 391 patients with a deleterious or suspected deleterious BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation who were in clinical complete or partial response following platinum-based chemotherapy. Eligible patients were randomised (2:1) to receive Lynparza 300mg tablets twice daily or placebo tablets twice daily.

The primary endpoint was progression-free survival and key secondary endpoints included time to second disease progression or death and overall survival.

Source: Company Press Release