TORCHLIGHT trial, brightening the life of more patients with advanced triple-negative breast cancer

Toripalimab (JS001) is a monoclonal antibody against programmed cell death-1 (PD-1), independently developed by Shanghai Junshi Biosciences Co., LTD, which is the first domestic original PD-1 inhibitor approved in China. TORCHLIGHT is the first phase III trial of PD-1 inhibitor combined chemotherapy in advanced triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) in China, evaluating the efficacy and safety of toripalimab plus nab-paclitaxel as first- or second-line therapy. Nab-paclitaxel has significant advantages over other chemotherapy drugs, as paclitaxel nanoparticles combine with natural albumin to increase drug delivery and bioavailability of paclitaxel. Firstly, nab-paclitaxel has a higher therapy response; Secondly, albumin carries paclitaxel out of the blood circulation faster, reducing the damage to normal tissues, ensuring the survival of more normal immune cells and exerting immune efficacy. Finally, nab-paclitaxel does not cause allergic reactions caused by organic solvents and does not require glucocorticoid pretreatment, avoiding immune suppression and ensuring the maximum efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). In TORCHLIGHT trial, 95% of subjects were on the first line treatment, with only 5% being on the second line, and 56% patients were programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) positive in total population. It achieved the survival benefits of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) dual efficacy end points, which stood out among numerous ICIs in advanced TNBC. TORCHLIGHT trial, as the name of it, like a torch to more patients with advanced TNBC, lighting up their lives. We described the design background of TORCHLIGHT trial and reviewed primary trials of PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitor in advanced TNBC both domestically and internationally.