Updated results from the phase 3 KESTREL trial (NCT02551159) indicated that durvalumab (Imfinzi) did not meet the study’s primary end point of improving overall survival (OS) versus a standard of care treatment—chemotherapy plus cetuximab (Erbitux)—in the first-line treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) whose tumors expressed high levels of PD-L1, according to the agent’s developer, AstraZeneca.
In addition, combination treatment with durvalumab plus tremelimumab did not display an OS benefit in “all-comer” patients, a secondary end point of the study.
“Metastatic head and neck cancer is a complex and challenging disease with a poor prognosis. While we are disappointed by these results, insights from the KESTREL phase 3 trial will advance our understanding and application of immunotherapy across our clinical…
