Lenvatinib in addition to everolimus or pembrolizumab for advanced renal cell carcinoma – First line


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Therapeutic Areas: Renal Cancer
Year: 2020

The addition of lenvatinib to everolimus or pembrolizumab is in clinical development for the first line treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). RCC is the most common form of cancer that originates in the kidney. It may occur due to the mutation of cells in the kidney’s filtering system. RCC often has few symptoms, so may be diagnosed in advanced stages, when the cancer has spread to other organs. While current treatments exist for advanced RCC, significant unmet medical need remains for more effective treatment options with manageable safety profiles for patients in the first-line setting.
Lenvatinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that targets several different growth factor receptors including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGFR) and fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFR). By blocking these receptors lenvatinib can reduce tumour growth in the kidney. Lenvatinib, everolimus and pembrolizumab are already used for advanced RCC in various combinations and clinical settings. The addition of lenvatinib to everolimus or pembrolizumab has shown potential to be more effective than each drug on its own in improving outcomes for advanced RCC patients and will offer an additional option as a first-line treatment.