Eli Lilly on Sunday at ESMO presented data from results of testing its two oncology products; for registration of oral selpercatinib monotherapy, for the treatment of RET-altered thyroid cancers, and its abemaciclib branded Verzenio in combination with fulvestrant significantly extended life by a median of 9.4 months in women with hormone receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) advanced or metastatic breast cancer
In separated releases, the company announced presentations from ESMO Congress 2019 in Barcelona, Spain.
The data presenter Lori J. Wirth, medical director of head and neck cancers, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center in Boston, Mass. said that the data for selpercatinib show demonstrative efficacy and safety in both the first-line and relapsed settings. “Patients with thyroid cancer have long sought targeted therapy tailored to the molecular nature of their disease, and we are hopeful that selpercatinib may be used as the standard of care in the future,” said Wirth, who is lead investigator on the trial.
Anne White, president of Lilly Oncology said: “We’re pleased that selpercatinib may offer a meaningful advance for patients with RET-altered thyroid cancers.”
Eli Lilly also announced that Verzenioin combination with fulvestrant significantly extended life by a median of 9.4 months in women with hormone receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) advanced or metastatic breast cancer previously treated with endocrine therapy (median of 46.7 months vs. median of 37.3 months with placebo plus fulvestrant. According to the company’s press release, the results from the Phase 3 MONARCH 2 clinical trial, which included both pre/peri- and postmenopausal women, were consistent across subgroups. These results, presented at ESMO, were also published in JAMA Oncology.
“When patients receive a diagnosis of advanced breast cancer, they learn that their disease is treatable, but incurable. This is devastating news to those of us living with the disease, because we each have a lot more living to do with our loved ones and friends and goals we want to achieve. We patients want therapies that can result in longer life,” said Shirley Mertz, president of the Metastatic Breast Cancer Network.