First-Line Cemiplimab for Locally Advanced NSCLC: Updated Subgroup Analyses From the EMPOWER-Lung 1 and EMPOWER-Lung...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Clinical Trials
• Immunotherapy

Background:

• Unresectable locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) poses treatment challenges, particularly for patients ineligible for concurrent chemoradiation.
• This patient subgroup represents an unmet medical need in NSCLC management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of first-line cemiplimab, as monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy, in patients with unresectable locally advanced NSCLC.
• To assess patient-reported outcomes in this specific NSCLC population.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from two Phase III trials (EMPOWER-Lung 1 and EMPOWER-Lung 3) involving patients with locally advanced NSCLC.
• EMPOWER-Lung 1: Cemiplimab monotherapy vs. chemotherapy (PD-L1 ≥50%).
• EMPOWER-Lung 3: Cemiplimab plus chemotherapy vs. chemotherapy (regardless of PD-L1 expression).

Main Results:

• Cemiplimab monotherapy demonstrated improved overall survival (OS) (26.1 vs. 13.9 months) and progression-free survival (PFS) (8.1 vs. 6.2 months) versus chemotherapy.
• Cemiplimab plus chemotherapy showed improved OS (24.1 vs. 13.8 months) and PFS (12.5 vs. 6.2 months) compared to chemotherapy alone.
• Favorable patient-reported outcomes were observed with cemiplimab monotherapy; adverse events were manageable.

Conclusions:

• First-line cemiplimab, as monotherapy or combined with chemotherapy, offers clinical benefit for unresectable locally advanced NSCLC patients not eligible for definitive chemoradiotherapy.
• These results support cemiplimab as a valuable treatment option for this challenging NSCLC subgroup.