New drug eliminates signs of cancer in one in seven patients
Experimental drug amivantamab has shown promising results in patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer whose disease continued to progress despite standard treatment, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing a study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
The international OrigAMI-4 clinical trial involved 102 patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma whose disease had progressed despite prior immunotherapy and platinum-based chemotherapy.
“The objective response rate was 42%, while a complete response was achieved in 15% of patients,” the study said.
Responses were observed relatively quickly, with a median time to response of 6.6 weeks. More than half of the patients who responded to treatment maintained their response for at least six months.
Researchers also reported a median progression-free survival of 6.8 months, while median overall survival reached 12.5 months. One year after starting treatment, 54% of participants were still alive.
Amivantamab is a bispecific antibody that simultaneously targets the EGFR and MET proteins, which play a key role in tumor growth and spread.
The most common side effects included low blood albumin levels, skin rash, acne-like dermatitis, and inflammation around the nails. Only 8% of patients discontinued treatment due to treatment-related adverse events.
According to the researchers, amivantamab could become a new treatment option for patients who do not benefit from standard therapies.
Earlier, it was reported that HistoSonics is seeking FDA approval to expand the use of its ultrasound-based histotripsy technology for kidney tumor treatment.
