Efficacy

Vizimpro (dacomitinib) for Lung Cancer

Vizimpro (dacomitinib) is a kinase inhibitor specifically designed to target the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in cancer cells. It is approved for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with EGFR exon 19 deletion or exon 21 L858R substitution mutations as detected by an FDA-approved test. Clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of Vizimpro in improving progression-free survival compared to other EGFR inhibitors. In a pivotal phase III trial, Vizimpro significantly extended the median progression-free survival of patients compared to gefitinib, another EGFR inhibitor, establishing its role in the management of EGFR-mutated NSCLC.

The efficacy of Vizimpro is particularly notable in patients with the aforementioned EGFR mutations, which are common in NSCLC. However, its effectiveness in other types of lung cancer or in the absence of these mutations is not well established, and thus it is not recommended for use in these contexts. Vizimpro's role is therefore crucial in personalized cancer therapy where treatment is tailored according to specific genetic markers present in the tumor.

Vegzelma (bevacizumab-adcd) for Lung Cancer

Vegzelma (bevacizumab-adcd) is a biosimilar to the original bevacizumab product, which is a monoclonal antibody that inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). By blocking the VEGF pathway, Vegzelma reduces the vascularization of tumors, thereby inhibiting tumor growth. It is approved for use in combination with chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of patients with unresectable, locally advanced, recurrent or metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The efficacy of Vegzelma has been demonstrated in clinical trials that show comparable outcomes to the reference product in terms of response rate and overall survival.

In clinical settings, Vegzelma, as with the reference product bevacizumab, has been shown to improve outcomes when added to chemotherapy. The addition of Vegzelma to standard chemotherapy regimens has been associated with an increase in progression-free survival and overall survival in patients with advanced NSCLC. This efficacy has made Vegzelma an important option in the treatment of this patient population, offering a biosimilar alternative that maintains the therapeutic benefits of the reference product while potentially reducing costs.