Sravanti Therapy: New Hope for EGFR-Mutant & MET-Positive Advanced NSCLC

AstraZeneca is making strategic moves to enhance its position in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) through innovative therapies like sravanti and osimertinib. The focus is on a Phase II, single-arm study evaluating the efficacy and safety of sravanti in patients with EGFR-mutant and MET-overexpressing and/or MET-amplified locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC. These patients have shown disease progression after osimertinib treatment. The primary endpoint for this study is the investigator-assessed overall response rate (ORR).

Osimertinib has already proven to be a significant player in the global market, achieving sales of $5.799 billion in 2023, marking a 7% increase. Recognizing the potential of this market, AstraZeneca is positioning sravanti in combination with osimertinib to strengthen its foothold further. This combination strategy is expected to maximize the therapeutic benefits and market share.

AstraZeneca's 2023 financial report also underscores the success of the FLAURA2 study, which demonstrated the benefits of combining osimertinib with chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of EGFR-mutant NSCLC. Furthermore, AstraZeneca is advancing its research efforts with the Phase II SAVANNAH study and the Phase III SAFFRON study for second-line EGFR-mutant NSCLC, showing a clear commitment to furthering its investments in this therapeutic area.

In the competitive landscape, Johnson & Johnson’s Rybrevant (amivantamab) has emerged as a contender in treating advanced EGFR-mutant NSCLC after osimertinib treatment. However, the combination of sravanti and osimertinib has shown notable advantages in terms of efficacy, safety, and patient compliance. Preliminary data from the SAVANNAH study indicate that patients with MET IHC ≥90% or FISH ≥10 who were treated with the sravanti and osimertinib combination achieved an ORR of 52% and a median progression-free survival of 7.2 months. These results highlight the potential of the combination therapy to offer significant benefits to patients.

Meanwhile, Dizal Pharmaceutical is making strides with its drug sulfovanti, which is designed for treating NSCLC with EGFR ex20ins mutations. Approved and launched in China in August 2023, sulfovanti has shown promising results, with an ORR of 53.3% in its international clinical registration study "Wu-Kong1B." This success in treating locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC positions sulfovanti as a formidable option in the global market.

The trend toward global expansion is becoming increasingly vital for the innovative drug sector. Beigene’s zebutinib, the first domestically-developed innovative drug approved in the US, has captured significant market attention. Looking forward, Hutchison MediPharma’s sravanti and Dizal Pharmaceutical’s sulfovanti are anticipated to submit new drug applications (NDAs) in the US. Their performance in global commercialization is highly anticipated, with expectations that these therapies will make a substantial impact on the market.

In essence, AstraZeneca and other pharmaceutical companies are making considerable advancements in the treatment of NSCLC through innovative therapies and strategic market positioning. The combination of sravanti and osimertinib, along with other emerging treatments like sulfovanti and zebutinib, is shaping the future landscape of lung cancer treatment, promising improved outcomes and expanded therapeutic options for patients globally.