Welcome to this edition of the newsletter from LUNGevity's EGFR Patient Gateway.
We are pleased to see continued development of new drugs and new drug classes to treat EGFR-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Researchers are evaluating a new drug, sunvozertinib, to treat NSCLC containing exon 20 insertion mutations, which have typically been harder to treat than classic EGFR mutations. Additionally, researchers are looking at a new class of drugs called antibody drug conjugates, or ADCs, which couple an antibody with a drug payload, allowing them to target the drug more specifically to the cancer cells. ADCs, such as HER3-DxD, are being studied to see if this approach will be effective in treating EGFR-positive NSCLC.
Another topic that is often top of mind for patients with EGFR-positive NSCLC is what happens if their tumor becomes resistant to osimertinib or another treatment. Researchers have looked at whether combining immunotherapy with chemotherapy will work in patients whose tumors develop osimertinib resistance, but they found that the addition of immunotherapy does not improve survival compared to chemotherapy alone.
Another study, called MARIPOSA-2, looked at combining two EGFR drugs, amivantamab and lazertinib, with chemotherapy in patients in the post-osimertinib setting. These results are more promising, showing improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) in patients receiving the treatment combination. Additional questions remain about the tolerability of the combination regimen.
Understanding the underlying factors involved in osimertinib resistance and developing effective treatment approaches remains an ongoing challenge. As mentioned in one of the articles below, MET amplification appears to be one of the most common resistance mechanisms. This reinforces the importance of patients undergoing comprehensive biomarker testing at the time of treatment resistance or disease progression, in the event that they have a targetable alteration driving tumor growth.
Research News
MIMS.com
Sunvozertinib shows promise in pretreated NSCLC with EGFR exon 20 insertions
Published Dec 28, 2023
FirstWord Pharma
CheckMate-722: No Survival Benefit With Nivolumab Plus Chemotherapy in EGFR-Mutated Metastatic NSCLC
Published Jan 23, 2024
Gastroenterology Advisor
Patritumab Deruxtecan Under Review for EGFR-Mutant Advanced NSCLC
Published Dec 27, 2023
OncLive
MARIPOSA-2: Amivantamab and Chemotherapy in EGFR-Mutant NSCLC in Second Line and Beyond
Published Dec 27, 2023
OncLive
Antibody-Drug Conjugates in EGFR-Mutant NSCLC
Published Dec 27, 2023
Nature
Resistance to osimertinib in advanced EGFR-mutated NSCLC: a prospective study of molecular genotyping on tissue and liquid biopsies
Published Nov 8, 2023
Get Connected
Join us for the EGFR Virtual Meetup
It’s the easy way to build your community. On the first Wednesday of each month, you can connect with others who understand what it’s like to live with EGFR+ lung cancer. The next EGFR Virtual Meetup is happening on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at 12 pm ET. Register for the EGFR Meetup to get a confirmation email with details about how to join the virtual meeting. Can’t make it? Don’t worry, there’s a full list of virtual meetups to fit your schedule.
HOPE Summit – Families Are Welcome
Join us in Atlanta for this free conference May 3-5, 2024. This family-friendly event features inspirational speakers and lung cancer experts to answer questions and offer tips for addressing the everyday issues that come up for people living with lung cancer. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear directly from lung cancer survivors and caregivers who have a firsthand view of what it is like to survive and thrive after a lung cancer diagnosis. Because lung cancer affects the whole family, we will also have special activities for kids and caregivers. Learn more.
Have You Seen?
Patient Spotlight: Marnie Clark
Marnie Clark knows what it’s like to listen to her body. She had to push the medical system to figure out what was causing her symptoms. Eventually, she was diagnosed with stage IV, EGFR-positive lung cancer. In this article, Marnie shares her medical journey and the important lessons she’s picked up along the way. Read it here.
What Are the Phases of Clinical Trials?
Lung cancer clinical trials are carefully designed research studies to evaluate and learn more about new drugs and treatments. Clinical trials are often described as phase 1, 2, 3, or 4. These phases can help us understand the benefits and drawbacks of participating in a particular clinical trial. Join Marissa Fors, an oncology social worker with CancerCare, for a brief explanation of the phases of clinical trials. Watch it here.
Research Awards Support Studies Focused on EGFR+ Lung Cancer
EGFR Resisters, a vibrant patient-led advocacy group, partnered with LUNGevity for the second time to support impactful research in transforming EGFR+ lung cancer into a chronic or curable disease. This article highlights the key points of these awards and celebrates the lung cancer community for making this research possible. Read it here.
…and so much more at the EGFR Patient Gateway.
If you were forwarded this email and you’d like to subscribe to this newsletter, you can sign up here.
If you need further assistance along your lung cancer journey, please email us at support@lungevity.org. Our team is always here to assist you.
