Johnson & Johnson reported that its chemotherapy-free combination of Rybrevant and lazertinib demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in median overall survival for patients with EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer, compared to AstraZeneca's osimertinib (Tagrisso), in a late-stage study.

The combination regimen, approved in August for first-line treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with EGFR mutations, met a key secondary endpoint in the study. However, the company has yet to disclose exact overall survival (OS) data from the Tagrisso comparator arm. For context, prior studies reported a median OS of 38.6 months with Tagrisso alone in this patient population.

J&J plans to share detailed results from the Tagrisso arm and comprehensive OS data at an upcoming medical meeting, with expectations that the Rybrevant-lazertinib combination will extend median OS to beyond four years.

"Our expectation (is) that we're going to see an improvement in that median overall survival exceeding a year," said Mark Wildgust, who heads J&J's global medical affairs for oncology.

"We're going to put that median overall survival beyond four years," he added.

Some analysts have previously said that doctors might prefer to use a single therapy over combinations for previously untreated patients, but a better survival rate could tip the scale in their favor.

"Physicians always look for the best option in the front line, and when they define what the best option is, they look for overall survival that they will give to their patients," said Biljana Naumovic, who oversees J&J's commercial strategy for cancer treatments.