David Spigel, MD, director of Lung Cancer Research at the Sarah Cannon Research Institute, discusses current trials investigating the anti-PD-L1 antibody MPDL3280A in lung cancer.

There are a number of ongoing trials investigating MPDL3280A in lung cancer, following the presentation of promising data from a phase I trial investigating the drug in lung cancer at last year’s ASCO. One trial is looking at MPDL3280A versus docetaxel in unselected patients. However, there are also single cohort studies where patients receive the drug in PD-L1 positive tumors, Spigel says.

Two of these studies are designed to enroll patients in the first-line setting, second-line and beyond, and in patients with CNS metastasis. Spigel is hopeful that as the single-arm studies mature and the randomized registration trials mature, new options will be available in lung cancer.

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David Spigel, MD, director of Lung Cancer Research at the Sarah Cannon Research Institute, discusses current trials involving MPDL3280A in lung cancer.

Dr. Spigel Discusses MPDL3280A Development in Lung Cancer

David Spigel, MD, director of Lung Cancer Research at the Sarah Cannon Research Institute, discusses the evolving landscape for treating patients with refractory non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), specifically with the EGFR targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) erlotinib (Tarceva).

Spigel explains that erlotinib is available to all patients with refractory NSCLC and is now commonly being used in the first-line setting for patients with activated 

In a recent randomized phase II study, the combination of erlotinib and the VEGF receptor inhibitor pazopanib improved progression-free survival for patients with advanced NSCLC, compared to erlotinib alone. These results suggest that erlotinib has a clearly defined role in the treatment of patients with refractory NSCLC; however, additional studies are needed to define an exact patient population.

Spigel remains unsure if VEGF receptor TKIs, like pazopanib, will continue to be developed for patients with NSCLC. In general, low efficacy or toxicity issues have resulted in a lack of interest for many of these agents. Whether pazopanib is developed further for NSCLC still remains unclear, Spigel believes.

View coverage from the 2012 Chicago Multidisciplinary Symposium in Thoracic Oncology

Dr. David Spigel, from the Sarah Cannon Research Institute, discusses the  rapidly evolving non-small cell lung cancer treatment landscape. 

David Spigel, MD

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Dr. Spigel Discusses MPDL3280A Development in Lung Cancer

Dr. Spigel Discusses the Evolving NSCLC Treatment Landscape