Even better response among PD-L1-positive patients
JAVELIN patients had unresectable locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma and were treated with gemcitabine with either cisplatin or carboplatin.
Just over half (51%) of these patients had tumors that were PD-L1 positive.
The maintenance therapy strategy was even more effective in these patients. Avelumab plus BSC significantly prolonged OS versus BSC alone in patients with PD-L1-positive tumors (HR, 0.56; 1-sided P = .0003). Median OS was not reached versus 17.1 months, respectively.
An OS benefit was also observed across all prespecified subgroups, including those patients with visceral metastases.
Commenting on the study, Dr. Sharma said she would like to see more detailed outcome data related to the number of chemotherapy cycles administered (the range was 4 to 6) and information on the amount of time between the end of chemo to the start of avelumab. Dr. Powles commented that his international team has not looked at number of cycles and outcome, nor the time from completion of chemotherapy and randomization. “They are both valid questions for the future,” he said.
The study was funded by Pfizer. Dr. Powles and many of the coauthors have financial relationships with Pfizer and other pharmaceuticals. Dr. Sharma has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
This article first appeared on Medscape.com.