Evaluation of the Effect of Lorlatinib on CYP2B6, CYP2C9, UGT, and P-Glycoprotein Substrates in Patients with Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Lorlatinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor approved for the treatment of advanced anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive non-small cell lung cancer. This study assessed the effect of steady-state lorlatinib on the metabolic enzymes cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2B6, CYP2C9, and uridine 5'-diphospho-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) and the P-glycoprotein (P-gp) transporter. METHODS: Thirty-two patients received a single oral dose of a probe drug on Day - 2 to determine the pharmacokinetics of the probe drug alone. Starting on Day 1, patients received 100 mg oral lorlatinib daily. On Day 15, a single oral dose of the probe drug was administered concurrently with lorlatinib. Pharmacokinetic parameters for these probe substrates were assessed. RESULTS: Plasma exposures of all probe substrates were reduced by lorlatinib compared with the probe alone. The greatest reduction in area under the plasma concentration-time curve from time zero to infinity (AUC∞) and maximum (peak) plasma drug concentration (Cmax) (67% and 63% decrease, respectively) was observed with the P-gp probe substrate fexofenadine. Lorlatinib coadministration also decreased the AUC∞ and Cmax of bupropion (CYP2B6 probe substrate) by 25% and 27%, tolbutamide (CYP2C9 probe substrate) by 43% and 15%, and acetaminophen (UGT probe substrate) by 45% and 28%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Lorlatinib is a net moderate inducer of P-gp and a weak inducer of CYP2B6, CYP2C9, and UGT after steady state is achieved with daily dosing. Medications that are P-gp substrates with a narrow therapeutic window should be avoided in patients taking lorlatinib; no dose modifications are needed with substrates of CYP2B6, CYP2C9, or UGT. CLINICALTRIALS: gov: NCT01970865.

Sharing Experience with Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Lung Cancer: An Italian Expert Panel Discussion.

BACKGROUND: ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have revolutionized the treatment and largely improved the survival outcomes of patients with NSCLC harboring ALK rearrangements. Different ALK TKI compounds have demonstrated antitumor activity in these patients and are available in clinical practice. However, clinical expertise across countries varies according to local regulatory approval of different drugs, identifying multiple treatment scenarios to comply with international guidelines and clinical practice. METHODS: A virtual webinar was held on July 2023 to discuss the state of the art and future perspectives in the treatment of ALK rearrangement in advanced NSCLC in Italy. The faculty hosting the webinar was composed of eight medical oncologists from different regions of Italy with clinical expertise in treating patients with lung cancer. Live-shared notes were used to produce a report to serve as the basis of a review manuscript on the topic. RESULTS: Alectinib and brigatinib are the preferred front-line treatment options in Italy, pending approval of the front-line medicine lorlatinib, which would be considered among the choices. Due to a local regulatory limitation of second-line lorlatinib, which is not allowed after front-line brigatinib, alectinib is commonly the preferred front-line choice to follow a sequence of alectinib, followed by lorlatinib, followed by platinum plus pemetrexed chemotherapy. Age and performance status were not considered per se as clinical features influencing treatment choice. However, treatment compliance is deemed a relevant factor in decision making with regard to the number of pills to be administered. In general, given the availability of alternative choices, the spectrum of patients' comorbidities and polypharmacotherapy interactions should be taken into account in treatment selection according to the toxicity profile of each compound. In addition, several issues were debated with regard to improving treatment outcomes, including testing, brain metastases, and management of an oligoprogressive disease. CONCLUSIONS: The treatment scenario of ALK-positive disease is dynamically evolving. Furthermore, not all FDA- and EMA-approved compounds are approved in Italy with the same indications. This influences therapeutic opportunities and increases the need for greater clinical expertise to help and guide treatment selection.

Efficacy of Lorlatinib in Treatment-Naive Patients With ALK-Positive Advanced NSCLC in Relation to EML4::ALK Variant Type and ALK With or Without TP53 Mutations.

INTRODUCTION: Lorlatinib, a third-generation ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitor, improved outcomes compared with crizotinib in patients with previously untreated ALK-positive advanced NSCLC in the phase 3 CROWN study. Here, we investigated response correlates using plasma circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and tumor tissue profiling. METHODS: ALK fusions and ALK with or without TP53 mutations were assessed by next-generation sequencing. End points included objective response rate (ORR), duration of response, and progression-free survival (PFS) by blinded independent central review on the basis of EML4::ALK variants and ALK with or without TP53 or other mutation status. RESULTS: ALK fusions were detected in the ctDNA of 62 patients in the lorlatinib arm and 64 patients in the crizotinib arm. ORRs were numerically higher with lorlatinib versus crizotinib for EML4::ALK variant 1 (v1; 80.0% versus 50.0%) and variant 2 (v2; 85.7% versus 50.0%) but were similar between the arms for variant 3 (v3; 72.2% versus 73.9%). Median PFS in the lorlatinib arm was not reached for EML4::ALK v1 and v2 and was 33.3 months for v3; in the crizotinib arm, median PFS was 7.4 months, not reached, and 5.5 months, respectively. ORRs and PFS were improved with lorlatinib versus crizotinib regardless of TP53 mutation status and in patients harboring preexisting bypass pathway resistance alterations. In the lorlatinib arm, PFS was lower in patients who had a co-occurring TP53 mutation. Results from ctDNA analysis were similar to those observed with tumor tissue samples. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with untreated ALK-positive advanced NSCLC derived greater clinical benefits, with higher ORRs and potentially longer PFS, when treated with lorlatinib compared with crizotinib, independent of EML4::ALK variant or ALK mutations, TP53 mutations, or bypass resistance alterations.

Podcast on Lorlatinib as a First-Line Treatment Option for Patients with ALK-Positive Metastatic NSCLC with Brain Metastasis.

Brain metastases are especially common in anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with a cumulative incidence of over 50% and associated with a poor prognosis, high symptom burden, and decreased quality of life. Lorlatinib is a brain-penetrant, third-generation ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), which has a high potency against resistance mutations seen with earlier generation ALK TKIs. In 2018, lorlatinib was granted accelerated approval in second- and third-line treatment for use in patients with ALK-positive metastatic NSCLC on the basis of phase 1/2 study results. This initial approval was expanded for first-line treatment of patients with ALK-positive metastatic NSCLC on the basis of the interim analysis of the phase 3 CROWN study showing longer progression-free survival, time to intracranial progression, duration of response, and objective response rate compared with crizotinib. This manuscript is a transcript of our podcast, in which we discuss the clinical significance of controlling the onset of brain metastases, considerations in selecting a first-line therapy option, efficacy and safety observed in patients with and without brain metastases, and rationales for using lorlatinib upfront versus reserving for a later line in therapy.

Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase Inhibitors for Therapy of Neuroblastoma in Adults.

PURPOSE: Adult-onset neuroblastoma (AON) differs significantly in biology and clinical behavior from childhood-onset disease. AON poses therapeutic challenges since tolerance of intensive multimodality therapies that are standard of care for pediatric neuroblastoma (NB) is poor. AON is enriched for somatic mutations including anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), deemed to be an oncogenic driver in NB. ALK inhibitors (ALKis), therefore, have the potential to be of therapeutic benefit. The purpose of this study is to report on their use in AON. METHODS: A single-center retrospective review of adults with NB receiving ALKi (2012-2022) was performed. Response was evaluated using International Neuroblastoma Response Criteria. RESULTS: Fifteen patients with ALK-mutated AON were treated with US Food and Drug Administration-approved ALKi starting at a median age of 34 (16-71) years. Initial ALKi was lorlatinib, crizotinib, and alectinib in seven, five, and three patients respectively; seven received multiple ALKis due to progressive disease/intolerability of one agent. All patients experienced ≥grade 2 adverse events (AEs): crizotinib and alectinib were associated primarily with gastrointestinal AEs, lorlatinib with neurologic AEs, weight gain, and hyperlipidemia resulting in dose reduction or discontinuation of ALKi in several patients. No responses were observed with crizotinib (n = 5 patients), ceritinib, alectinib, or brigatinib (n = 1 each). Of the 13 patients receiving lorlatinib, four, five, and four patients had a complete or partial response (major response rate 69%), and stable disease, respectively. Responses were noted in all disease compartments; complete metabolic response was seen in two L2 patients. Ten of 13 patients remain progression-free at a median of 19 (6-50) months on lorlatinib. Three (two receiving dose-reduced therapy) had progressive disease. Median survival from start of first ALKi was 43 ± 26 months. CONCLUSION: ALKis, particularly lorlatinib, are effective treatment options for AON. However, AEs necessitating dose reduction are common.

Dynamic monitoring of circulating tumor DNA to analyze genetic characteristics and resistance profile of lorlatinib in ALK positive previously treated NSCLC.

BACKGROUND: To dynamically monitor the changes of genomic characteristics during lorlatinib treatment and analyze the resistance profile of lorlatinib in ALK-positive advanced Chinese patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with first- and second-generation ALK inhibitor resistance. METHODS: Ten eligible patients who were from a phase 2 study in China and admitted to the Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital were analyzed. Blood samples were collected for next-generation sequencing (NGS) to characterize genetic variation at baseline, during treatment, and after disease progression. RESULTS: Among the 10 patients treated with lorlatinib, objective response rate (ORR) was 50%. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 13.3 months, and median overall survival (OS) was 15.6 months. At baseline, the mutation frequency of ALK in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) was higher in the group who received two lines of previous anaplastic lymphoma kinase-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (ALK-TKIs), and a similar trend was observed for TP53. After one follow-up cycle, the decreased variant allele frequency (VAF) had a trend to be predictive for responses. In six patients in which blood samples had been taken after lorlatinib resistance, ALK compound mutations were found in three patients (50%), which were G1202R/L1196M, L1196M/D1203N, and G1202R/F1174C. The DNMT3A N403Tfs*4, ERCC3 E259D, and GNAS p.A436_P459del variants were only detected after progression in two of the other three patients without ALK compound mutations. CONCLUSIONS: The dynamic changes of genomic characteristics during lorlatinib treatment revealed the mutation landscape of Chinese patients with NSCLC after ALK-TKI resistance, indicated that the resistance profile of lorlatinib were heterogeneous, which laid the foundation for subsequent treatment to overcome lorlatinib resistance.

Plain language summary of the updated results from the CROWN study comparing lorlatinib with crizotinib in people with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

WHAT IS THIS SUMMARY ABOUT?: This summary shows the updated results of an ongoing research study called CROWN that was published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine in December 2022. In the CROWN study, researchers looked at the effects of two study medicines called lorlatinib and crizotinib. The study included people with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that had not been treated previously. All people in the study had cancer cells with changes (known as alterations) in a gene called anaplastic lymphoma kinase, or ALK. This ALK gene is involved in cancer growth. In this updated study, researchers looked at the continued benefit in people who took lorlatinib compared with people who took crizotinib after 3 years. WHAT DID THIS STUDY FIND?: After 3 years of being observed, people who took lorlatinib were more likely to be alive without their cancer getting worse than people who took crizotinib. At 3 years, 64% of people who took lorlatinib were alive without their cancer getting worse compared with 19% of people who took crizotinib. The cancer was less likely to have spread within or to the brain in people who took lorlatinib than in people who took crizotinib. After 3 years of being observed, 61% of people were still taking lorlatinib and 8% of people were still taking crizotinib. People who took lorlatinib had more severe side effects than people who took crizotinib. However, these side effects were manageable. The most common side effects with lorlatinib were high levels of cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides (a type of fat) in the blood. Life-threatening side effects were seen in 13% of people who took lorlatinib and 8% in crizotinib. Two people who took lorlatinib died because of side effects from lorlatinib. WHAT DO THE RESULTS OF THE STUDY MEAN?: The updated results from the CROWN study showed that a larger percentage of people who took lorlatinib continued to benefit from their treatment after being observed for 3 years compared with those who took crizotinib.

Cost­Effectiveness of Lorlatinib in First-Line Treatment of Adult Patients with Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK)­Positive Non­Small­Cell Lung Cancer in Sweden.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate the cost effectiveness of lorlatinib, a third-generation anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), used first-line in Sweden to treat patients with ALK-positive (ALK+) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In January 2022, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) extended its approval of lorlatinib to include adult patients with ALK+ NSCLC not previously treated with an ALK inhibitor. Extended first-line approval was based on results from CROWN, a phase III randomized trial that enlisted 296 patients randomized 1:1 to receive lorlatinib or crizotinib. Our analysis compared lorlatinib against the first-generation ALK-TKI crizotinib, and second-generation ALK TKIs alectinib and brigatinib. METHODS: A partitioned survival model with four health states [pre-progression, non-intracranial (non-central nervous system [CNS]) progression, CNS progression, and death] was constructed. The progressed disease state (which is typically modelled in cost-effectiveness analyses of oncology treatments) was explicitly separated into non-CNS and CNS progression as brain metastases, which are common in NSCLC, and can have a large impact on patient prognosis and health-related quality of life. Treatment effectiveness estimates in the lorlatinib and crizotinib arms of the model were derived from CROWN data, while indirect relative effectiveness estimates for alectinib and brigatinib were informed using network meta-analysis (NMA). Utility data were derived from the CROWN study in the base case, and cost-effectiveness results were compared when applying UK and Swedish value sets. Costs were obtained from Swedish national data. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted to test model robustness. RESULTS: Fully incremental analysis identified crizotinib as the least costly and least effective treatment. Brigatinib was extendedly dominated by alectinib and, subsequently, alectinib was extendedly dominated by lorlatinib. Lorlatinib was associated with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of Swedish Krona (SEK) 613,032 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained compared with crizotinib. Probabilistic results were generally consistent with deterministic results, and one-way sensitivity identified NMA HRs, alectinib and brigatinib treatment duration, and the CNS-progressed utility multiplier as key model drivers. CONCLUSIONS: The ICER of SEK613,032 for lorlatinib versus crizotinib falls below the typical willingness-to-pay threshold per QALY gained for high-severity diseases in Sweden (approximately SEK1,000,000). Furthermore, as brigatinib and alectinib were extendedly dominated in the incremental analysis, the results of our study indicate that lorlatinib may be considered a cost-effective treatment option for first-line patients with ALK+ NSCLC in Sweden when compared with crizotinib, alectinib, and brigatinib. Longer-term follow-up data for endpoints informing treatment effectiveness for all first-line treatments would help to reduce uncertainty in the findings.

Lorlatinib with or without chemotherapy in ALK-driven refractory/relapsed neuroblastoma: phase 1 trial results.

Neuroblastomas harbor ALK aberrations clinically resistant to crizotinib yet sensitive pre-clinically to the third-generation ALK inhibitor lorlatinib. We conducted a first-in-child study evaluating lorlatinib with and without chemotherapy in children and adults with relapsed or refractory ALK-driven neuroblastoma. The trial is ongoing, and we report here on three cohorts that have met pre-specified primary endpoints: lorlatinib as a single agent in children (12 months to <18 years); lorlatinib as a single agent in adults (≥18 years); and lorlatinib in combination with topotecan/cyclophosphamide in children (<18 years). Primary endpoints were safety, pharmacokinetics and recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D). Secondary endpoints were response rate and 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) response. Lorlatinib was evaluated at 45-115 mg/m2/dose in children and 100-150 mg in adults. Common adverse events (AEs) were hypertriglyceridemia (90%), hypercholesterolemia (79%) and weight gain (87%). Neurobehavioral AEs occurred mainly in adults and resolved with dose hold/reduction. The RP2D of lorlatinib with and without chemotherapy in children was 115 mg/m2. The single-agent adult RP2D was 150 mg. The single-agent response rate (complete/partial/minor) for <18 years was 30%; for ≥18 years, 67%; and for chemotherapy combination in <18 years, 63%; and 13 of 27 (48%) responders achieved MIBG complete responses, supporting lorlatinib's rapid translation into active phase 3 trials for patients with newly diagnosed high-risk, ALK-driven neuroblastoma. ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT03107988 .

Safety Monitoring Activity During EGFR or Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase Inhibitor Therapy for Patients With Lung Cancer.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are highly effective for treatment of EGFR- or ALK-mutated lung cancer. Nevertheless, they are associated with several unique toxicities. Although the available US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug label can provide guidance for safety monitoring, its integration into clinical practice has not been previously described. We studied the conduct of safety monitoring activity (SMA) at a large academic institution. On the basis of FDA-approved drug labels, two drug-specific SMAs were identified for osimertinib, crizotinib, alectinib, or lorlatinib. Electronic medical records of patients initiated on these drugs from 2017 to 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Each course of treatment was evaluated for the occurrence of SMAs and the corresponding adverse events. Analyses included 130 treatment courses from 111 unique patients. For each SMA evaluated, the prevalence of SMA conduct ranged from 10.0% to 84.6%. The most frequently conducted SMA was ECG for lorlatinib therapy and the least was creatine phosphokinase analysis for alectinib. We observed none of the assessed SMAs being conducted in 41 treatment courses (31.5%). EGFR inhibitor predicted a higher likelihood of both SMAs being conducted than ALK inhibitors (P = .02). Serious, grade 3 or 4 adverse events were observed in 21 treatment courses (16.2%), including one grade 4 transaminitis related to alectinib. On the basis of our experience, the conduct of SMA was more challenging to implement for ALK inhibitor than for EGFR inhibitor. Clinicians should be vigilant and review the FDA-approved drug label before prescribing.

Efficacy and safety of first-line treatments for patients with advanced anaplastic lymphoma kinase mutated, non-small cell cancer: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: This study compares the safety and efficacy of first-line treatments for anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases. Abstracts related to lung cancer presented at important international conferences were also reviewed. Randomized clinical trials that qualified the inclusion criteria were subjected to Bayesian network meta-analysis and systematically reviewed. RESULTS: The authors included a total of nine studies including 2441 patients and seven first-line treatments (ensartinib, brigatinib, crizotinib, lorlatinib, alectinib, ceritinib, and pemetrexed-based chemotherapy). Overall, lorlatinib appeared to confer the best progression-free survival (PFS) (probability of being the best [Prbest], 90%; surface under the cumulative ranking curve [SUCRA], 98%), and the same conclusion was obtained on paired comparisons (lorlatinib vs. ceritinib [hazard ratio (HR), 0.31; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.20-0.47); lorlatinib vs. chemotherapy [HR, 0.17; 95% CI, 0.12-0.23]; crizotinib vs. lorlatinib [HR, 3.6; 95% CI, 2.4-5.2]; and brigatinib vs. lorlatinib [HR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.0-2.8]). Alectinib conferred the best overall survival (OS) and safety profile. In the Asian population, ensartinib conferred the best PFS (Prbest 50%, SUCRA 87%), and for patients with brain metastases at baseline, lorlatinib showed the best PFS (Prbest 70%, SUCRA 93%). CONCLUSIONS: For first-line treatment of patients with ALK-positive NSCLC, lorlatinib was associated with the best PFS and objective response rate, but poorer safety profile, whereas alectinib demonstrated the best OS and safety profile. In Asians, ensartinib conferred the best PFS benefit, and in the brain baseline metastasis population, lorlatinib conferred the best PFS benefit. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: Among the many molecularly targeted drugs currently used to treat anaplastic lymphoma kinase mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer, lorlatinib may be one of the most effective targeted drugs. Lung cancer has long been at the top of cancer rankings in terms of incidence and mortality. Today, the treatment of lung cancer has moved into the era of precision therapy. In this article, we use a statistical approach to compare the efficacy and safety of targeted drugs that have been used in the first-line treatment of anaplastic lymphoma kinase mutations to improve the reference for clinicians to make treatment decisions in the real world.

Evolocumab as treatment in lorlatinib-related hyperlipidemia. / Evolocumab como tratamiento de la dislipemia secundaria a lorlatinib.

Anti-PCSK9 monoclonal antibodies have reduced the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with atheroesclerosis cardiovascular disease. However, its use has not been described in hyperlipidemia associated with lorlatinib, a third-generation ALK tyrosin kinasa inhibitor approved as treatment for ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer.

Efficacy and safety of first-line lorlatinib versus crizotinib in patients with advanced, ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer: updated analysis of data from the phase 3, randomised, open-label CROWN study.

BACKGROUND: After a median follow-up of 18·3 months, the third-generation anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) tyrosine-kinase inhibitor, lorlatinib, improved progression-free survival in patients with treatment-naive, ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer in the phase 3 CROWN study. Here we report updated efficacy data, including intracranial activity, from an unplanned analysis after 3 years of follow-up. METHODS: CROWN is an ongoing, international, randomised, open-label phase 3 trial done in 104 centres in 23 countries worldwide. Eligible participants were aged 18 years and older or aged 20 years and older (depending on local regulations) with advanced, ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer, had received no previous systemic treatment for metastatic disease, had at least one extracranial measurable target lesion (according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours [RECIST], version 1.1), and had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status score of 0-2. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to oral lorlatinib 100 mg daily or oral crizotinib 250 mg twice daily in 28-day cycles. Randomisation was stratified by the presence or absence of brain metastasis, and by ethnicity. Since the primary endpoint of the study had been met at the planned interim analysis, no further formal analysis of progression-free survival was planned, per protocol. The current unplanned analysis was done to further characterise tumour-related endpoints with a longer follow-up and is presented descriptively. For the planned study, the primary endpoint was progression-free survival assessed by blinded independent central review. Secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (investigator), objective response rate, intracranial objective response rate, time to intracranial progression, duration of response, intracranial duration of response, and safety. Efficacy endpoints were also assessed by the presence or absence of baseline brain metastases. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03052608. FINDINGS: Between May 11, 2017, and Feb 28, 2019, 425 patients were screened for eligibility, of whom 296 were enrolled and randomly assigned to the lorlatinib (n=149) or crizotinib (n=147) group. At data cutoff for this unplanned analysis (Sept 20, 2021), median duration of follow-up for progression-free survival was 36·7 months (IQR 31·3-41·9) for lorlatinib and 29·3 months (10·8-35·0) for crizotinib. Median progression-free survival by blinded independent central review was not reached (95% CI not reached-not reached) for lorlatinib and was 9·3 months (7·6-11·1) for crizotinib (hazard ratio [HR] 0·27 [95% CI 0·18-0·39]). 3-year progression-free survival was 64% (95% CI 55-71) in the lorlatinib group and 19% (12-27) in the crizotinib group. Progression-free survival (investigator), objective response rate, intracranial objective response rate, time to intracranial progression, and duration of response were improved with lorlatinib versus crizotinib. In patients with baseline brain metastases (n=37 lorlatinib; n=39 crizotinib), the HR for time to intracranial progression for lorlatinib versus crizotinib was 0·10 (95% CI 0·04-0·27); in patients without baseline brain metastases (n=112 lorlatinib; n=108 crizotinib), the HR was 0·02 (95% CI 0·002-0·14). In patients without brain metastases, one (1%) in the lorlatinib group and 25 (23%) in the crizotinib group had intracranial progression. Grade 3-4 adverse events occurred in 113 (76%) of 149 patients (most commonly due to altered lipid levels) with lorlatinib and in 81 (57%) of 142 patients with crizotinib. Adverse events led to treatment discontinuation in 11 (7%) patients in the lorlatinib group and 14 (10%) patients in the crizotinib group. There were no new safety signals. INTERPRETATION: These updated, long-term data from CROWN show the durable benefit of lorlatinib over crizotinib in patients with treatment-naive, ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer and support the use of first-line lorlatinib in patients with and without baseline brain metastases. FUNDING: Pfizer.

Yes-associated protein 1 mediates initial cell survival during lorlatinib treatment through AKT signaling in ROS1-rearranged lung cancer.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) that target the ROS proto-oncogene 1, receptor tyrosine kinase (ROS1) gene have shown dramatic therapeutic effects in patients with ROS1-rearranged non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Nevertheless, advanced ROS1-rearranged NSCLC is rarely cured as a portion of the tumor cells can survive the initial stages of ROS1-TKI treatment, even after maximum tumor shrinkage. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms underlying initial cell survival during ROS1-TKI treatment is necessary to prevent cell survival and achieve a cure for ROS1-rearranged NSCLC. In this study, we clarified the initial survival mechanisms during treatment with lorlatinib, a ROS1 TKI. First, we established a patient-derived ezrin gene-ROS1-rearranged NSCLC cell line (KTOR71). Then, following proteomic analysis, we focused on yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1), which is a major mediator of the Hippo pathway, as a candidate factor involved in cell survival during early lorlatinib treatment. Yes-associated protein 1 was activated by short-term lorlatinib treatment both in vitro and in vivo. Genetic inhibition of YAP1 using siRNA, or pharmacological inhibition of YAP1 function by the YAP1-inhibitor verteporfin, enhanced the sensitivity of KTOR71 cells to lorlatinib. In addition, the prosurvival effect of YAP1 was exerted through the reactivation of AKT. Finally, combined therapy with verteporfin and lorlatinib was found to achieve significantly sustained tumor remission compared with lorlatinib monotherapy in vivo. These results suggest that YAP1 could mediate initial cell resistance to lorlatinib in KTOR71 cells. Thus, combined therapy targeting both YAP1 and ROS1 could potentially improve the outcome of ROS1-rearranged NSCLC.

Matching-Adjusted Indirect Comparisons of Lorlatinib Versus Chemotherapy for Patients With Second-Line or Later Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase-Positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare the relative efficacy of lorlatinib, an anaplastic lymphoma kinase-tyrosine kinase inhibitor, with chemotherapy, for patients with second-line or later advanced anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive non-small cell lung cancer. The endpoints of interest were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). METHODS: Evidence for lorlatinib was informed by the single-arm phase I/II trial B7461001. A systematic literature review (SLR) was performed to identify OS and PFS data for chemotherapy. Unanchored matching-adjusted indirect comparisons (MAICs) between lorlatinib and chemotherapy (pemetrexed/docetaxel, platinum-based, or systemic therapy) were performed. RESULTS: The SLR identified 3 relevant studies reporting PFS. Lorlatinib was associated with a significant decrease in the hazard of progression versus the 2 types of chemotherapy assessed. For PFS, the MAIC of lorlatinib versus the combined treatment arm of docetaxel or pemetrexed resulted in an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 0.22 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.15-0.31). When lorlatinib was compared with platinum-based chemotherapy through an MAIC, the adjusted HR for PFS was 0.40 (95% CI 0.29-0.55). An exploratory comparison was performed for OS with evidence for systemic therapy (assumed equivalent to chemotherapy) not identified in the SLR. Lorlatinib provided a significant decrease in hazard of death (OS) versus systemic therapy, with HRs ranging from 0.12 (95% CI 0.05-0.27) to 0.43 (95% CI 0.27-0.60). CONCLUSIONS: Lorlatinib demonstrated a significant improvement in PFS compared with chemotherapy, although limitations in the analyses were identified. The evidence informing OS comparisons was highly limited but suggested benefit of lorlatinib compared with systemic therapy.

First-line treatments for patients with advanced ALK gene rearrangements in NSCLC: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials to determine the optimal clinical choice of first-line therapy for patients with ALK receptor tyrosine kinase (ALK) gene rearrangement non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: Clinical trials in patients with histologically confirmed ALK gene rearrangement NSCLC, that included ALK inhibitors as first-line therapy, were identified using database searches. A Bayesian network meta-analysis was conducted to calculate the efficacy and safety of the included first-line treatments. RESULTS: Nine trials with 2,407 patients were included for analyses. Lorlatinib was better than brigatinib for progression-free survival (PFS) (hazard ratio 0.79, 95% confidence interval 0.63, 0.98). In subgroup analyses, lorlatinib exhibited the highest probability of best PFS ranking in patients with or without baseline brain metastases (38% and 80%, respectively); brigatinib had the highest probability of best PFS ranking among Asian patients (47%). Alectinib offered the highest survival advantage (57% probability), while lorlatinib was likely to be the best treatment for an objective response (41% probability). Alectinib displayed the highest probability of being ranked lowest for grade ≥3 adverse events (86%). CONCLUSIONS: Lorlatinib was associated with the best PFS overall, and was suitable for patients with or without brain metastases. Brigatinib was associated with the best PFS in Asian patients.

[Chinese Expert Consensus on Management of Special Adverse Effects 
Associated with Lorlatinib].

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusions represent the second most common oncogenic driver mutation in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). As the new class of 3rd generation of ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), lorlatinib has shown robust potency and brain-penetrant clinical activity against a wide spectrum of multiple resistance mutations within the ALK domain detected during crizotinib and 2nd generation ALK TKI treatment. Lorlatinib is generally well-tolerated with unique adverse drug reaction/adverse event, including hyperlipidemia and central nervous system effects, which are mostly mild to moderate severity and manageable through dosage modifications and/or standard medical intervention. For advanced NSCLC with ALK positivity, patients should be evaluated for baseline characteristics and pre-existing medication, informed of the potential toxicities, and periodically monitored to balance benefits and risks. Moreover, a multidisciplinary group of experts is essential to establish a comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic strategy.
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Efficacy of different sequential patterns after crizotinib progression in advanced anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy difference between the second- and third-generation of anaplastic lymphoma kinase-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (ALK-TKIs) after crizotinib failure in advanced ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has not been clarified. This study evaluates the efficacy of different sequential patterns after crizotinib progression. METHODS: Data of patients who met the study criteria were retrospectively analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to draw survival curves, log-rank method was used to compare the differences between groups, and Cox multivariate analysis was used to evaluate the significance of influencing factors. RESULTS: A total of 128 patients developed disease progression after crizotinib. The overall survival (OS) of 57 patients in the sequential second-generation ALK-TKIs group was significantly longer than that of 65 patients with other systemic treatment (58.5 months vs. 33.0 months, p < 0.001); The OS of the direct sequential lorlatinib group was significantly longer than the second-generation ALK-TKIs group (114.0 months vs. 58.5 months, p = 0.020). Similarly, of the 48 patients who developed disease progression after first- and second-generation ALK-TKIs treatment, 16 patients with sequential lorlatinib had significantly longer OS than the others (62.0 months vs. 43.0 months, p = 0.014). The progression-free survival (PFS) of second-line and third- or later-line lorlatinib were statistically different (20.0 months vs. 5.5 months, p = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS: The application of next-generation ALK-TKIs after crizotinib progression significantly prolonged survival, whereas direct sequencing lorlatinib seemed advantageous. Similarly, lorlatinib also prolonged survival in patients with first- and second-generation ALK-TKIs failure.

Post Hoc Analysis of Lorlatinib Intracranial Efficacy and Safety in Patients With ALK-Positive Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer From the Phase III CROWN Study.

PURPOSE: Lorlatinib significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) versus crizotinib and showed robust intracranial activity in patients with previously untreated advanced ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the phase III CROWN trial. Here, we report post hoc efficacy outcomes in patients with and without brain metastases at baseline, and present data on the incidence and management of CNS adverse events (AEs) in CROWN. METHODS: Eligible patients were randomly assigned 1:1 to first-line lorlatinib (100 mg once daily) or crizotinib (250 mg twice a day); no crossover between treatment arms was permitted. Tumor assessments, including CNS magnetic resonance imaging, were performed at screening and then at 8-week intervals. Regular assessments of patient-reported outcomes were conducted. RESULTS: PFS by blinded independent central review was improved with lorlatinib versus crizotinib in patients with and without brain metastases at baseline (12-month PFS rates: 78% v 22% and 78% v 45%, respectively). Lorlatinib was associated with lower 12-month cumulative incidence of CNS progression versus crizotinib in patients with (7% v 72%) and without (1% v 18%) brain metastases at baseline. In total, 35% of patients had CNS AEs with lorlatinib, most of grade 1 severity. Occurrence of CNS AEs did not result in a clinically meaningful difference in patient-reported quality of life. At analysis, 56% of CNS AEs had resolved (33% without intervention; 17% with lorlatinib dose modification), and 38% were unresolved; most required no intervention. Lorlatinib dose modification did not notably influence PFS. CONCLUSION: First-line lorlatinib improved PFS outcomes and reduced CNS progression versus crizotinib in patients with advanced ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer with or without brain metastases at baseline. Half of all CNS AEs resolved without intervention or with lorlatinib dose modification.