National Kick-off Meeting for FORWARD, a Study evalsuating Furmonertinib as Adjuvant Therapy, Successfully Held
2021/04/18
The National Kick-off Meeting for FORWARD was successfully held in Zhuhai, Guangdong province on April 17, marking another milestone in Allist’s exploration new indications of Furmonertinib.
FORWARD is a phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center registry study initiated by Allist and led by He Jianxing, President of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University. It will include patients with EGFR mutation-positive stage II-IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have received radical resection with or without adjuvant chemotherapy, to compare the efficacy and safety of Furmonertinib versus placebo as adjuvant therapy over a period of three years. The kick-off meeting was attended by over 120 clinical experts and leading practitioners from more than 55 study sites from around the country, and the live stream online attracted a viewership of several thousands.
The National Kick-of Meeting for FORWARD has an innovatively designed agenda, featuring two sessions of “Academic Foresight of PERIOPERATIVE” and “Adjuvant Therapy for Revival of Life in FORWARD”. The first session heard from three experts on perioperative targeted therapy for surgically resectable NSCLC harboring EGFR mutation, progress in the research on MRD of lung cancer at early stage, the development of Furmonertinib, and key clinical data, among others. The second session featured an in-depth discussion among researchers on the management of related studies, the innovations embedded in and highlights of the solution, and possible roadblocks in practice, etc.
The kick-off meeting’s successful conclusion marks the start of FORWARD in around 55 study sites across the country. High-quality, high-standard clinical studies on Furmonertinib is expected to accelerate its approval process to be used in the adjuvant treatment setting.
President He Jianxing, Chairman of the National Kick-off Meeting for FORWARD and PI:
Lung cancer, one of the most threatening malignant tumors to human health and life, has a fast-growing morbidity and mortality rate. To improve the survival rate of patients with lung cancer, doctors and researchers have been exploring more effective treatments relentlessly. The study FORWARD evalsuating Furmonertinib as adjuvant therapy that was kicked off yesterday will be a milestone in the exploration of lung cancer treatment. Compared with other clinical studies, FORWARD has many special highlights: firstly, it is the first study that features a dynamic ctDNA monitoring in lung cancer patients post radical resection in China, in an attempt to predict disease recurrence and provide guidance for subsequent treatment. Secondly, Allist, as a responsible, committed Chinese pharmaceutical company, will provide for free gene tests and medicine resources for patients in the control group when they experience disease recurrence so as to protect their rights and interests. Thirdly, patients in FORWARD will be stratified by adjuvant chemotherapy, which can better assist with analyses of optimal treatments.
Du Jinhao, Chairman of Allist:
Being the most innovative pharmaceutical company in China is the goal that Allist has been pursuing since its establishment. Seeking to improve life quality and health of all mankind, and oriented towards demand of the global pharmaceutical market, Allist has been dedicated to the field of innovative drugs for 16 years and has successfully developed two new national Class I drugs. As an innovation-driven pharmaceutical company, Allist has been continuously upholding innovation as its guiding principle and paid unremitting efforts to this end. As part of the efforts, Allist initiated the FORWARD research project as another important milestone in pursuit of the goal to become a modernized innovative drug developer, producer, and seller. Going forward, we will continue to intensify our exploration of tumor research and treatment and roll out more innovative drugs, which is bound to bring benefits to cancer patients in China and around the world!
Liu Fei, Medical Director of Allist:
The R&D Strategy of Furmonertinib is poised to serve as the foundation for the treatment of EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC and reshape the landscape in the fight against this disease. The data from study FURLONG, a phase III study of Furmonertinib as first-line therapy, is about to mature and application for use in the first-line treatment setting is expected to be submitted this year; study FAVOUR 1, a phase Ib study of Furmonertinib for the treatment of patients with EGFR 20 insertion, is ongoing, which has produced inspiring data in favor of its satisfying treatment effect, indicating that Furmonertinib could be an effective treatment option for patients with this kind of refractory disease. With the kick-off of study FORWARD evalsuating Furmonertinib as adjuvant therapy, the scope of indications of Furmonertinib will be further expanded, with higher goals of ensuring 5-year survival of resectable lung cancer patients or even curing them. With these efforts, Furmonertinib is anticipated to serve as the standard of care for EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC, becoming a therapy widely recognized and used for the benefits of patients in need!