ELCC 2017: Ensartinib in ALK-Positive Lung Cancer
Posted: Thursday, May 25, 2017
In patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and central nervous system (CNS) metastases, ensartinib demonstrated CNS responses, according to a study presented by Karen L. Reckamp, MD, of City of Hope, and colleagues at the recent European Lung Cancer Conference (ELCC). Use of ensartinib, a potent small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor, supported the investigators’ preclinical results, which indicated the use of the drug may result in favorable outcomes in this patient population.
In this multicenter phase I/II study, 26 patients with ALK-positive NSCLC and asymptomatic CNS metastases at baseline, with or without systemic disease, were included. CNS responses were observed in all groups of patients, regardless of whether they had previously been treated with ALK inhibitors or not. Patients with baseline CNS target lesions demonstrated an intracranial response rate of 69% (including one complete response), and stable disease was observed in 31%, resulting in a 100% disease control rate.
Ensartinib, which targets not only ALK but a host of other mutations, is being further evaluated in the ongoing phase III eXalt3 trial. CNS response rate and time to CNS progression with ensartinib will be compared with those with crizotinib in the first-line setting for patients with ALK-positive NSCLC.
