Hutchmed reports positive results from AstraZeneca lung cancer collaboration

(Sharecast News) - Hutchmed China announced positive results from its Savannah phase two trial on Wednesday, which studied the combination of 'Tagrisso', or osimertinib, and 'Orpathys', or savolitinib, in treating patients with epidermal growth factor receptor-mutated (EGFRm) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), who had high levels of MET overexpression or amplification and whose disease progressed after treatment with Tagrisso. The AIM-traded pharmaceuticals company said the trial demonstrated a high, clinically-meaningful and durable objective response rate (ORR), with the data to be presented at an upcoming medical conference and shared with regulatory authorities globally.

It said Orpathys, a potent and selective MET tyrosine kinase inhibitor, was being jointly developed with AstraZeneca and was already approved in China for treating NSCLC patients with MET exon 14 skipping alterations who had progressed following systemic therapy or who could not receive chemotherapy.

EGFR-targeted therapies like Tagrisso are initially effective for patients with EGFRm NSCLC, but many develop resistance, often linked to MET overexpression or amplification.

Hutchmed said that in the Savannah trial, 62% of patients screened had tumours with MET overexpression, with 34% meeting the high MET level cut-off upon clinical progression.

It said the safety profile of the combination therapy was consistent with prior data, with no new safety signals identified.

The results built on earlier positive findings presented at the 2022 World Conference on Lung Cancer.

Hutchmed said the ongoing global Saffron phase three trial, sponsored by AstraZeneca, would further evaluate the combination of Tagrisso and Orpathys versus platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with advanced or metastatic EGFRm NSCLC who exhibit MET overexpression or amplification after progressing on Tagrisso.

"Previous results from the Savannah phase two trial provided a novel biomarker approach for identifying patients with MET overexpression or amplification, who are most likely to benefit from a MET-directed therapy, an existing unmet need," said Hutchmed's chief executive and chief scientific officer, Weiguo Su.

"These new, positive results affirm our selective, patient-centric approach, which could allow us to deliver the first biomarker-driven targeted therapy combination option in this setting."

At 1115 BST, shares in Hutchmed China were up 5.6% at 299.9p.

Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.