Efficacy

Mektovi (binimetinib) for Skin Cancer

Mektovi, also known by its generic name binimetinib, is a medication that has been approved for the treatment of skin cancer, specifically unresectable or metastatic melanoma with a BRAF V600E or V600K mutation as detected by an FDA-approved test. This medication is used in combination with another drug called encorafenib. The efficacy of Mektovi in treating this form of skin cancer has been demonstrated in clinical trials. In a pivotal phase 3 trial, the combination of binimetinib and encorafenib showed a significant improvement in progression-free survival compared to treatment with vemurafenib, a BRAF inhibitor, alone.

The combination treatment has been found to reduce the risk of disease progression or death by approximately 44% compared to vemurafenib monotherapy. Moreover, the objective response rate, which is the proportion of patients with a significant reduction in tumor size, was higher in the combination therapy group. These results indicate that Mektovi, when used in combination with encorafenib, can be an effective treatment option for patients with BRAF-mutant melanoma, offering a potential delay in disease progression and a higher likelihood of tumor shrinkage.

Libtayo (cemiplimab) for Skin Cancer

Libtayo, with the generic name cemiplimab, is a monoclonal antibody that has been approved for the treatment of patients with metastatic or locally advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) who are not candidates for curative surgery or curative radiation. Cemiplimab works as an immune checkpoint inhibitor, targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway, which cancer cells often exploit to evade the immune system. By blocking this pathway, Libtayo can enhance the body's immune response against the cancer cells.

The efficacy of Libtayo in treating CSCC has been evaluated in a number of clinical trials, including a pivotal phase 2 study. In this study, cemiplimab demonstrated a high rate of durable response, with a significant proportion of patients experiencing a reduction in tumor size. The overall response rate reported was encouraging, and many patients achieved a partial or complete response. Additionally, the duration of response with Libtayo has been notable, with many patients maintaining their response for six months or longer. These findings suggest that Libtayo can be an effective treatment option for advanced CSCC, providing meaningful clinical benefits to patients who have limited treatment alternatives.