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EMPOWER-Lung 1 showed that cemiplimab, a third PD-1 antibody, lengthens life compared with chemotherapy in lung cancers with high PD-L1, reproducing the pembrolizumab result with a different drug.
EMPOWER-Lung 1 randomised 710 patients with untreated advanced non-small-cell lung cancer to cemiplimab or platinum doublet chemotherapy; the primary population was the 563 patients whose tumours had confirmed PD-L1 expression of 50 percent or more. Patients on chemotherapy could cross over to cemiplimab at progression, and patients on cemiplimab could add chemotherapy.
In the PD-L1-high population median overall survival was not reached with cemiplimab against 14.2 months with chemotherapy (hazard ratio 0.57), and median progression-free survival was 8.2 against 5.7 months (hazard ratio 0.54). In the three-year update median overall survival was 26.1 months against 13.3 months, with the hazard ratio unchanged despite crossover.
The FDA approved cemiplimab for this indication in February 2021, and a companion trial, EMPOWER-Lung 3, later added cemiplimab to chemotherapy regardless of PD-L1.
Numbers are from the trial as recorded here; see the source links in the table below. This is orientation, not medical advice: ask your team how closely the trial population matches you.
710 enrolled.
| Endpoint | Arm | n | Value | HR (95% CI) | p | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall survival, PD-L1 50% or more (three-year update)primary | Cemiplimab | 283 | 26.1 months | 0.57 | - | link |
| Platinum chemotherapy | 280 | 13.3 months | ||||
| Progression-free survival, PD-L1 50% or moreprimary | Cemiplimab | 283 | 8.2 months | 0.54 | - | link |
| Platinum chemotherapy | 280 | 5.7 months |
A second publication from the EMPOWER-Lung 1 trial, later than the first and described in its title as an update or longer-term analysis. Read it with the primary publication linked from the trial page; the record was linked automatically and its figures have not been checked by hand.
This is the paper Europe PMC returns for registry id NCT03088540 with the most citations, so it is the natural first reading for anyone following the EMPOWER-Lung 1 trial. Read the abstract above alongside the trial page and the registry entry; the record was linked automatically and its figures have not been checked by hand.
Shares IMpower110, Tumour proportion score (TPS), PD-L1 expression testing (22C3, SP142, SP263), PD-L1-high non-small-cell lung cancer without a driver mutation.
Shares Tumour proportion score (TPS), PD-L1 expression testing (22C3, SP142, SP263), PD-L1-high non-small-cell lung cancer without a driver mutation, PD-L1.
Shares Regeneron, Cemiplimab, Pemetrexed, Paclitaxel / nab-paclitaxel.
Shares Regeneron, Cemiplimab, Pemetrexed, Paclitaxel / nab-paclitaxel.
Shares Tumour proportion score (TPS), Squamous cell carcinoma of the lung, Pemetrexed, Paclitaxel / nab-paclitaxel.
Shares Tumour proportion score (TPS), PD-L1 expression testing (22C3, SP142, SP263), Squamous cell carcinoma of the lung, PD-L1.
Shares Tumour proportion score (TPS), PD-L1 expression testing (22C3, SP142, SP263), PD-L1-high non-small-cell lung cancer without a driver mutation, PD-L1.
Shares Tumour proportion score (TPS), PD-L1 expression testing (22C3, SP142, SP263), PD-L1, PD-1.