New study hails effectiveness of China-made cancer drug

A clinical study recently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, has shown that a China-developed pill containing third-generation EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) can offer the longest progression-free survival among Chinese patients suffering from non-small cell lung cancer.

Led by a team of researchers from Shanghai Chest Hospital, the study also found that the drug, almonertinib, can significantly reduce risks of disease progression and death in patients with brain metastases and certain gene mutations.

China's first and the world's second third-general EGFR targeted therapy, almonertinib has been considered a breakthrough in cancer treatment in China as it provides domestic patients with another avenue for advanced lung cancer treatment. Previously, patients could only rely on imported drugs.

The drug received approved for use in China in April 2020.

The clinical study of 429 participants showed that the drug, compared with the first-generation targeted therapy, could increase progression-free survival from 9.9 months to 19.3 months, while reducing the risk of disease progression by 62 percent.

The progression-free survival of participants with brain metastases was also increased by 8.2 months to 15.3 months.

"The results of this study can better represent the benefits of Chinese patients, and have high clinical value for the treatment of the entire Asian population as well," said Jian Hong, a doctor of tumor treatment at Shanghai Chest Hospital.