About Tecentriq (atezolizumab)
Tecentriq is a monoclonal antibody designed to target and bind to a protein called PD-L1 (programmed death-ligand 1), which is expressed on cancer cells and cancer-infiltrating immune cells. PD-L1 interacts with PD-1 and B7.1, both found on the surface of T cells, causing inhibition of T cells. Once PD-L1 is blocked, cells of the immune system are able to identify cancer cells as a threat and initiate an attack to destroy the cancer. Tecentriq is FDA approved for numerous cancer types.
Tecentriq was evaluated in a single-arm clinical trial, referred to as Study ML39345 (NCT03141684) in patients with have histologically or cytologically confirmed alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS) that was not curable by surgery.
Overall, 24% of patients responded to treatment with Tecentriq. The median DOR was not evaluable with 67% of patients experiencing a response that persisted for at least 6 months and 42% experiencing a response that lasted for 12 months or longer.
Keytruda Promising
Typically, the standard treatment for soft tissue sarcoma that has not spread, or metastasized, to other parts of the body is radiation followed by surgery. However approximately 50% of patients with high-risk sarcomas subsequently experience cancer recurrence or metastasis after treatment.
The SU2C-SARC032 clinical trial evaluated outcomes of 127 patients with undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma and pleomorphic/dedifferentiated liposarcoma across 20 hospitals in four countries – the United States, Canada, Italy and Australia. Patients were treated with either the standard regimen of radiation therapy and surgery or with the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab before, during and after radiation therapy and surgery. Results showed that the addition of pembrolizumab reduced the risk of relapse by 43% at two years.
Learn about other emerging therapies for the treatment of Sarcoma
References
- FDA grants approval to atezolizumab for alveolar soft part sarcoma. News release. FDA. December 9, 2022. Accessed December 9, 2022. https://bit.ly/3uC2hGe
- Atezolizumab (Tecentriq). Prescribing information. Genentech, Inc.; 2022. Accessed December 9, 2022. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2022/761034s047lbl.pdf
- https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/JCO.2024.42.16_suppl.11504
