Alectinib shows promise in phase 3 ALINA trial for non-small cell lung cancer

The 2023 ESMO Congress showcased the results of the phase 3 ALINA trial, revealing that alectinib, an oral ALK inhibitor, significantly improved disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with resected stage IB-IIIA non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The study was led by Ben Solomon at Australia’s Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

Alectinib, also known as Alecensa, reduced the risk of disease recurrence or death by 76% in stage II-IIIA patients compared to platinum-based chemotherapy. The drug, created at Chugai’s Kamakura Research Laboratories and approved in over 100 countries for ALK-positive, metastatic NSCLC treatment, consistently demonstrated higher 2-year and 3-year DFS rates across all prespecified subgroups.

In addition to this, an improvement in central nervous system disease-free survival (CNS-DFS) was observed. For the intention-to-treat population, the median DFS was not reached among those receiving alectinib, but was 41.3 months among those receiving chemotherapy. The rate of adverse events remained similar between both groups.

As of August 2023, alectinib has treated over 92,000 ALK-positive patients. The ALINA trial marks the first comparison of alectinib to platinum-based chemotherapy in an adjuvant setting, indicating its potential as a new treatment strategy.

InvestingPro data reveals that Chugai Pharmaceutical, the creator of Alecensa, has an adjusted market cap of 49911.25M USD and a P/E Ratio of 22.9. The company has also demonstrated a revenue growth of 3.13% and a gross profit margin of 57.78% according to the latest metrics. This financial performance is consistent with the company’s position as a prominent player in the pharmaceutical industry as pointed out by InvestingPro Tips.

Chugai Pharmaceutical’s phase III ALINA study involved 257 patients and showed Alecensa’s potential as a new treatment option that significantly reduces the risk of recurrence or death in early stage ALK-positive NSCLC. Dr. Osamu Okuda, Chugai’s CEO, highlighted the need for adjuvant therapy to potentially cure early-stage NSCLC, which recurs in about half of patients post-surgery despite adjuvant chemotherapy.

Chugai is committed to collaborating with Roche towards submitting this data to regulatory authorities worldwide. People with ALK-positive NSCLC are generally younger and at higher risk of developing brain metastases than those with other types of NSCLC. Comprehensive biomarker testing plays a crucial role in identifying the right treatment based on their genetic mutation. Lung cancer, with NSCLC accounting for around 85% of all cases, is a leading cause of cancer death globally, causing more than 4,900 deaths worldwide every day.

Chugai’s commitment to innovation and patient care is reflected in its strong financials and the successful development of Alecensa. InvestingPro Tips note that Chugai holds more cash than debt on its balance sheet and has been profitable over the last twelve months. For more insights, readers can explore InvestingPro, which offers over 4519 additional tips for informed investment decisions.

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