Imfinzi + tremelimumab significantly improved overall survival in HIMALAYA phase III trial in 1st-line unresectable liver cancer.

This novel dose and schedule of tremelimumab, an anti-CTLA4 antibody, and Imfinzi is called the STRIDE regimen (Single Tremelimumab Regular Interval Durvalumab). The combination demonstrated a favourable safety profile, and the addition of tremelimumab to Imfinzi did not increase severe hepatic toxicity. Imfinzi alone demonstrated non-inferior OS to sorafenib with a numerical trend in favour of Imfinzi and an improved tolerability profile compared to sorafenib.

Liver cancer, of which HCC is the most common type, is the third leading cause of cancer death and the sixth most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide with approximately 900,000 people diagnosed each year. Only 7% of patients with advanced disease survive five years.

Ghassan Abou-Alfa, MD, MBA, Attending Physician at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and principal investigator in the HIMALAYA Phase III trial, said: “HIMALAYA is the first Phase III trial to add a novel single priming dose of an anti-CTLA4 antibody to another checkpoint inhibitor, durvalumab. This serves to boost the patient’s own immune system against their liver cancer, aiming to maximise long-term survival with minimal side effects. This is very exciting news for our patients.”