Amgen (AMGN) on Friday said its global phase 2 study of tarlatamab in patients with advanced stage small cell lung cancer showed that the investigational drug delivered an “encouraging” objective response rate of 40% and median overall survival of 14.3 months.
“In the current third-line treatment of SCLC, patients face a dire prognosis, with response rates ranging between 14 and 21 percent and median overall survival less than six months,” said Luis Paz-Ares, head of the lung cancer unit at the National Oncology Research Center.
Amgen said no new safety concerns were reported and there were only 4% discontinuations due to treatment-related adverse events.
Tarlatamab is an investigational drug targeting the BiTE, or bi-specific T-cell engager, molecule, directing them toward tumor-specific antigens, and activating their cytotoxic capabilities to eradicate cancer, according to the company.