Novartis Kisqali significantly extends life in women with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer in MONALEESA-7 trial - Seite 2

"Overall survival benefit is considered the 'gold standard' in cancer trials but is challenging to achieve in HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer. MONALEESA-7 reached this important endpoint earlier than anticipated," said Sara Hurvitz, MD, Medical Director of the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center Clinical Research Unit and Director of the Breast Cancer Clinical Trials Program at UCLA. "Impactful results like these ribociclib findings are what we wish for in every clinical trial, and to achieve overall survival improvement in an incurable disease, like metastatic breast cancer, is truly an outstanding advancement for patients."

Susanne Schaffert, Ph.D., CEO, Novartis Oncology, added, "Kisqali is the only CDK4/6 inhibitor to achieve statistically significant overall survival benefit in combination with endocrine therapy, and we are so proud to share these powerful data with the medical and patient community. These exciting results add to the proven efficacy and safety profile of Kisqali, solidify it as a standard of care for people living with HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer and inspire us to continue to reimagine medicine."

Results from subgroup analyses showed that Kisqali plus an aromatase inhibitor demonstrated a 30.0% reduced risk of death compared to an aromatase inhibitor alone (median OS not reached vs. 40.7 months [37.4-NE]; HR=0.699 [0.501-0.976]), and Kisqali plus tamoxifen demonstrated a 20.9% reduced risk of death compared to tamoxifen alone (HR=0.791 [0.454-1.377])[1]. Kisqali is not indicated for use with tamoxifen.  In the MONALEESA-7 primary analysis, increase in QTcF was on average greater and equal to 10 milliseconds in people taking tamoxifen plus placebo compared those taking aromatase inhibitor and placebo[4].  

"Kisqali has characteristics that make it distinct from other CDK4/6 inhibitors. For one, Kisqali shows especially strong inhibition against CDK4. In pre-clinical data, Kisqali is four- to five-fold more potent against CDK4 compared to CDK6. CDK4 is likely the dominant CDK in breast cancer and a pivotal driver of disease progression," said Jeff Engelman, MD, Global Head of Oncology Research, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research.

MJ DeCoteau, Executive Director of Rethink Breast Cancer, said, "Younger women living with advanced breast cancer encounter unique challenges as they face an incurable illness at the prime of their lives - they may be students, new moms or just embarking on their careers.  Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women 20-59, so knowing an approved treatment has been proven to help them live longer is an outstanding advancement and provides new hope for women with this devastating disease."