Roche’s PD-L1 inhibitor Tecentriq significantly improved disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with resectable, early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to newly published Phase III data.

The IMpower010 study compared Tecentriq (atezolizumab) with best supportive care (BSC) in Stage II-IIA NSCLC patients.

At the interim analysis, Tecentriq showed a statistically significant improvement in DFS as adjuvant therapy following surgery and chemotherapy in all randomised Stage II-IIA populations with NSCLC.

According to Roche, DFS benefit was particularly noticeable in the PD-L1-positive population.

The study will continue with planned analyses of DFS in the overall intent-to-treat population and of overall survival data, which was immature at the time of the interim analysis.

Tecentriq is already approved in a number of lung cancer indications, including in NSCLC as either a single agent or in combination with targeted therapies and/or chemotherapies.

The checkpoint inhibitor is also approved for the front-line treatment of adults with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC) in combination with the chemotherapies carboplatin and etoposide.

“With these landmark results, Tecentriq has become the first cancer immunotherapy to help many people with resectable early lung cancer live longer without their cancer returning," said Levi Garraway, chief medical officer and head of global product development, Roche.

“We’re excited by the clinical benefit adjuvant Tecentriq may bring to lung cancer patients, particularly in the PD-L1-positive population. We will submit these data to regulatory authorities as soon as possible,” he added.