Osimertinib-Savolitinib in Advanced NSCLC after Progression during EGFR-TKI Therapy
In brief
Osimertinib-savolitinib raised 12-month progression-free survival from 10% to 36%
In a randomized trial of 338 patients whose EGFR-mutated advanced lung cancer progressed on osimertinib and had MET overexpression or amplification, adding savolitinib raised 12-month progression-free survival from 10% with platinum-pemetrexed to 36%; 12-month overall survival was 70% versus 53%. Severe side effects were similarly common, but the results apply to this specific biomarker-selected group.
- Journal
- The New England journal of medicine (Q1)
- Published
- 25 October 2026
- Study design
- Randomized controlled trial
- Evidence level
- Level 1, High (CEBM 1b)
- Authors
- Shun Lu, Nicolas Girard, James Chih-Hsin Yang, Frances A Shepherd, Xiaorong Dong, Surein Arulananda, et al.
- PMID
- 42929693
- DOI
- 10.1056/NEJMoa2611335
Why clinicians should know about it
- Picked for Oncology and Radiation Oncology (top studies of the week, 1 November 2026): Biomarker-directed phase III targeted therapy improves survival after EGFR-TKI progression
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Savolitinib is an oral, potent, highly selective MET-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). Combination therapy with savolitinib and osimertinib, an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-TKI, has shown activity in patients with EGFR-mutated, advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with MET overexpression, MET amplification, or both, after progression during EGFR-TKI therapy. METHODS: In this international, phase 3, open-label trial, we randomly assigned, in a 1:1 ratio, patients with EGFR-mutated, locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC with MET overexpression (staining intensity of 3+ for MET in ≥90% of tumor cells on immunohistochemical analysis), MET amplification (≥10 gene copies on fluorescence in situ hybridization), or both whose disease had progressed during osimertinib therapy to receive osimertinib (at a dose of 80 mg once daily) plus savolitinib (300 mg twice daily) or intravenous platinum-pemetrexed. The primary end point was progression-free survival, as assessed by blinded independent central review. Secondary end points included overall survival and safety. RESULTS: Of the 1746 patients screened, 338 were randomly assigned to receive osimertinib-savolitinib (171 patients) or platinum-pemetrexed (167 patients). Osimertinib-savolitinib led to significantly longer progression-free survival than platinum-pemetrexed (hazard ratio for disease progression or death, 0.55; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.42 to 0.72; P<0.001), as well as significantly longer overall survival (hazard ratio for death, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.50 to 0.91; P = 0.01; final analysis). The Kaplan-Meier estimate of 12-month progression-free survival was 36% in the osimertinib-savolitinib group and 10% in the platinum-pemetrexed group, and the estimate of 12-month overall survival was 70% and 53%, respectively. The most frequently reported adverse events that occurred during treatment in the osimertinib-savolitinib group were peripheral edema (in 49% of the patients), anemia (in 26%), and diarrhea (in 26%). Grade 3 or higher adverse events during treatment were reported in 64% of the patients in the osimertinib-savolitinib group and in 63% of those in the platinum-pemetrexed group. CONCLUSIONS: Osimertinib-savolitinib led to significantly longer progression-free and overall survival than platinum-pemetrexed among patients with EGFR-mutated, locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC with MET overexpression, MET amplification, or both that had progressed during osimertinib therapy (Funded by AstraZeneca; SAFFRON ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT05261399.).
Abstract as published, via PubMed.
For healthcare professionals. The summary is generated by AI from the published abstract, and the evidence level is assigned automatically from the study design on the Oxford CEBM hierarchy. Neither is medical advice. Read the full paper before changing practice.