SPECIALISED Therapeutics (ST) has announced the approval in Australia of Zepzelca (lurbinectedin) in combination with Tecentriq (atezolizumab, Genentech) as a first-line maintenance treatment for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC).
The marine-based alkylating agent is approved for use in adults whose disease has responded to first-line induction therapy with atezolizumab, carboplatin and etoposide.
SCLC is a highly aggressive disease that accounts for around 10-15% of all lung cancer cases and has a five-year survival rate of under 7%.
Medical oncologist Professor Nick Pavlakis from the Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney said the approval of the new combination therapy was an important step in helping to improve outcomes for patients with extensive-stage SCLC.
"Most patients with small cell lung cancer typically present with extensive-stage disease at diagnosis, meaning they are often faced with experiencing high rates of relapse or recurrence, limited treatment options and a poor prognosis," Professor Pavlakis said.
"While outcomes for patients have improved over the past five years with the addition of immunotherapy to chemotherapy, there continues to be a significant clinical need to improve on first-line therapies used to treat extensive-stage SCLC to prolong disease control and enhance survival," he added.
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