Melanoma Treatment Advances: Fianlimab and Cemiplimab Show Promise
Source: Targeted Oncology, September 2024
A longer-term follow-up of a study evaluating fianlimab, an anti-LAG-3 agent, and cemiplimab (Libtayo), an anti-PD-1 agent, is being presented as a poster at this year’s European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress. Meredith McKean, MD, director of melanoma and skin cancer research at the Sarah cannon Research Institute in Nashville, TN, discusses findings from this analysis.
Investigators observed that the combination therapy achieved a 57% overall response rate with a median progression-free survival of 24 months. Immune-mediated adverse events were similar to those seen with PD-1 monotherapy. Further, a significant number of patients maintained responses for over a year, with some completing 2 years of treatment, and the combination therapy was effective regardless of PD-L1 or LAG-3 expression levels.
Overall, fianlimab and cemiplimab demonstrated promising efficacy and safety in patients with melanoma, suggesting it may be a valuable treatment option.