Tecentriq's Small-Cell Lung Cancer Success Takes Edge Off Roche's IO Position

Roche's combination of Tecentriq with chemotherapy is ahead of rivals in first-line SCLC and has been filed with the US FDA.

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Bolstered by the magnitude of the survival benefit seen for Tecentriq in the Phase III IMpower133 study in small-cell lung cancer, Roche’s clear lead in the modestly sized setting takes a bit of the edge off the PD-L1 inhibitor’s position in the larger non-small cell lung cancer market, where it continues to fall behind Merck & Co. Inc.'s competing Keytruda.

About 15% of all lung cancers are the small-cell type and there are an estimated 27,000 new cases diagnosed each...

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