Martin Reck, MD, PhD, of the Department of Thoracic Oncology at the Lung Clinic Grosshansdorf in Germany, discussed the studies.

In pretreated patients, he said, “We have seen confirmed efficacy” [for AZD9291] and “impressive activity.” In the first-line setting, its efficacy is still being evaluated, “but that question will be answered by the first-line FLAURA trial,” he said.

More also needs to be learned, he added, about the drug’s activity in T790M-negative patients. “We do see responses in about 20% to 30% of these patients,” noted Dr. Reck.

“As far as tolerability, due to the mechanism of these drugs, these compounds seem to be very well tolerated, so we typically do not see the side effects of the first-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors,” he indicated.

Dr. Reck concluded: “I would say that these drugs should become available as soon as possible.” The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been granted priority review to AZD9291. ■

Disclosure: Dr. Reck has been a member of advisory boards for Hoffmann-La Roche, Lilly, BMS, AstraZeneca, MSD, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Pfizer, and Novartis and has received honoraria from all of the above but Novartis.