AstraZeneca’s Calquence Combination Regimen Shows Improved Results in Phase 3 ECHO Trial
AstraZeneca Plc (AZN) released data from the ECHO Phase 3 trial, which investigated the safety and efficacy of Calquence (acalabrutinib) in combination with bendamustine and rituximab in adult patients with previously untreated mantle cell lymphoma (MCL).
The Results
The data from the Calquence combo regimen demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival (PFS)
The Calquence combination reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 27% compared to standard-of-care chemoimmunotherapy, according to the trial results. The Median PFS was 66.4 months for patients treated with the Calquence combination versus 49.6 months for those with standard-of-care chemoimmunotherapy.
The secondary endpoint of overall survival (OS) showed a favorable trend for the Calquence combination compared to standard-of-care chemoimmunotherapy. The OS data are yet to mature, and the trial will continue to assess this endpoint.
An interesting fact is that the ECHO trial enrolled patients during the pandemic period, which necessitated a pre-specified analysis censoring for COVID-19-related deaths was conducted.
PFS was further improved in both arms, with a 36% reduction in disease progression or death risk recorded for the Calquence combination. Median PFS was also not reached among patients treated with the Calquence combination versus 61.6 months for standard-of-care chemoimmunotherapy. Additionally, a favorable trend was seen for OS in this analysis for the Calquence combination.
The Significance of the Results
The trial data demonstrated vital progress in improving outcomes for patients with mantle cell lymphoma. According to Susan Galbraith, Executive Vice President, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, “the 16.8 months of additional time patients can live without their disease progressing is highly clinically meaningful, with a trend to improvement in overall survival.”
Price Action
At the time of writing this article, AZN shares are down by 0.45% at $79.23 during the premarket session.
Conclusion
The results of the ECHO Phase 3 trial demonstrate that the Calquence combination regimen can improve outcomes for previously untreated mantle cell lymphoma patients. As the OS data are yet to mature, it would be interesting to assess this endpoint’s impact in future trials.
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