Public HealthWith Vandetanib (Zactima™) In Patients With Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Presented At American Society Of Clinical Oncology
Data from the Phase III ZODIAC1 study in advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients, with the investigational drug vandetanib, were presented today at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting in Orlando. Results show that the study met its primary endpoint, demonstrating that the addition of vandetanib to docetaxel resulted in a statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival (PFS), the length of time a patient lives without their cancer growing (hazard ratio [HR] 0.79, 97.58% CI 0.70-0.90; PAbout vandetanib
Vandetanib has a unique profile that fights cancer through two clinically proven mechanisms - by blocking the development of tumour blood supply (anti-angiogenesis or anti-VEGFR), and by blocking the growth and survival of the tumour itself (anti-EGFR). Vandetanib also inhibits RET-tyrosine kinase activity, an important growth driver in certain types of thyroid cancer.
About the Phase III studies in NSCLC
ZODIAC (ZACTIMA in cOmbination with Docetaxel In non-smAll cell lung Cancer) is a Phase III randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating the combination of vandetanib 100mg once daily plus docetaxel versus docetaxel alone in patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC, treated with one prior anti-cancer therapy. It enrolled 1391 patients at 250 centres throughout Europe, North America, South America and Asia Pacific.
ZEAL (ZACTIMA Efficacy with Alimta in Lung cancer) is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase III study evaluating the combination of vandetanib 100mg with pemetrexed versus pemetrexed alone in patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC, treated with one prior anti-cancer therapy. It enrolled 534 patients at 160 centres across 23 countries.
ZEST (ZACTIMA Efficacy Study versus Tarceva) is a Phase III randomised, double-blind, multi-centre study to assess the efficacy of vandetanib 300mg versus erlotinib in patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC after failure of at least one prior anti-cancer therapy. It enrolled 1240 patients at 171 centres across 22 countries.
ZEPHYR (ZACTIMA Efficacy trial for NSCLC Patients with HistorY of EGFR-TKI and chemo-Resistance) is a Phase III, randomised, double-blind, parallel-group, multi-centre study evaluating the efficacy of ZACTIMA 300mg plus best supportive care versus best supportive care in patients with locally advanced or metastatic (stage IIIB-IV) NSCLC after prior therapy with an EGFR inhibitor. The study is running in approximately 170 centres across 23 countries.
ZETA (Zactima Efficacy in Thyroid Cancer Assessment) is a phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-centre study, evaluating once-daily ZACTIMA 300mg as a monotherapy in advanced medullary thyroid cancer.
About lung cancer
- Over 1.35 million new cases of lung cancer are diagnosed every year and nearly 1.2 million people die as a result of this devastating disease - more than breast, colon and prostate cancer combined4.
- Non-small cell lung cancer accounts for around 85% of all lung cancers5.
- If lung cancer is detected at early stages, before it has spread to other organs or lymph nodes, around half of patients can survive for five years or more. However, few lung cancers are found at this early stage and it is normally diagnosed at the advanced stage, when five year survival falls to approximately 15%6.
Reference List
(1) Herbst, R. et al. Vandetanib plus docetaxel vs docetaxel as 2nd-line treatment for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC): a randomized, double-blind phase III trial (ZODIAC). ABS 31495. ASCO. 2009.
(2) De Boer, R. et al. Vandetanib plus pemetrexed vs pemetrexed as 2nd-line therapy in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC): a randomized, double-blind phase III trial (ZEAL). ABS 31867, ASCO. 2009.
(3) Natale, R. et al. Vandetanib versus erlotinib in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after failure of at least 1 prior cytotoxic chemotherapy: a randomized, double-blind phase III trial (ZEST). ABS 31610. ASCO. 2009.
(4) Ferlay, J. et al. GLOBOCAN 2002: Cancer Incidence, Mortality and Prevalence Worldwide. IARC CancerBase No. 5. version 2.0. Lyon: IARC Press, 2004.
(5) Ginsberg RJ. et al. Cancer: Principles and Practices of Oncology. 5th ed; 858-911. 1997. 6th ed. 925-983. 2001.
(6) Bepler G. Lung cancer epidemiology and genetics. J Thorac Imaging 1999; 14(4):228-234.
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