Genentech’s Tecentriq Approved for Stage 2-3a Lung Cancer

FDA has approved Genentech’s Tecentriq (atezolizumab) as an add-on treatment following surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy for adults with Stage II-IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors express PD-L1 greater than or equal to 1%. Approval is based on data from an interim analysis of the Phase 3 IMpower010 study that showed treatment with Tecentriq reduced the risk of disease recurrence or death by 34% in the targeted population compared with best supportive care, according to the company. The therapy’s safety profile was consistent with its known safety profile and no new safety signals were identified. The most frequent serious adverse reactions reported were pneumonia (1.8%), pneumonitis (1.6%), and pyrexia (1.2%). Tecentriq is a monoclonal antibody designed to bind with the PD-L1 protein. It is currently approved for six indications in various forms of lung cancer.