Genentech has announced encouraging results from the Phase II IMmotion150 study that compared Tecentriq (atezolizumab) plus Avastin (bevacizumab) and Tecentriq monotherapy to sunitinib alone in people with previously untreated, locally advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). These results were presented at the 2017 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium taking place 16-18 February in Orlando, Fla. IMmotion150 is the first randomized clinical trial to evaluate the combination of Tecentriq and Avastin in mRCC. The study was designed to inform further clinical development of this combination, and these study results reinforce the potential of this combination in this setting.

The study showed that people whose disease expressed PD-L1 (programmed death-ligand 1) and were treated with Tecentriq plus Avastin had a 36% reduction in the risk of their disease worsening or death compared to people treated with sunitinib alone. No PFS advantage was observed compared to sunitinib in the intention-to-treat (ITT) population. Median duration of response (DoR) has not yet been reached after 20.7 months of follow-up across treatment arms. Adverse events in the Tecentriq plus Avastin arm were consistent with those observed in previous studies of each medicine.

"These Phase II results support the scientific rationale for potentially combining Tecentriq and Avastin in people with this type of kidney cancer," said Sandra Horning, chief medical officer and head of Global Product Development. "There is a significant need for new treatment options for people living with advanced RCC, a disease where currently only about one in 10 people are alive beyond 5 years following diagnosis."

Genentech is also evaluating Tecentriq plus Avastin compared to sunitinib in a Phase III study in people with previously untreated, locally advanced or metastatic RCC. A study of Tecentriq as adjuvant treatment for RCC began enrolling earlier this year.