The complete response rate at 48 weeks was 12.5%, with tumor clearance occurring as quickly as 14 weeks. Another 25% of patients had a partial response, for an overall response rate of 37.5%. But that’s not the full success story, as another 31% of patients had stable disease. Thus, 11 of 16 patients, or 69%, experienced disease control.
“A disease-control rate of nearly 70% is really important because these are patients with life-threatening tumors. To be able to hold them steady is a big deal,” Dr. Migden observed.
One-quarter of study participants experienced progressive disease. The remainder weren’t evaluated for various reasons.
The dermatologist pointed out that locally advanced disease was particularly responsive to cemiplimab, with four of nine affected patients experiencing complete or partial response, for an overall response rate of 44%. This is consistent with the preliminary results of the pivotal phase 2 study, in which the overall response rate in the 78 participants with unresectable, locally advanced CSCC was 46%.