Alectinib Sets a New Benchmark for Survival in ALK-Positive NSCLC: Final Results from the ALEX Trial

Highlights

The final overall survival (OS) analysis of the landmark ALEX trial has established a new milestone in the management of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Key highlights include:

• Alectinib demonstrated a median OS of 81.1 months, compared to 54.2 months for crizotinib, representing one of the longest survival outcomes reported in metastatic NSCLC.
• The hazard ratio (HR) for death was 0.78, with a more pronounced benefit observed in patients with baseline central nervous system (CNS) metastases (HR 0.68).
• Duration of response (DOR) was nearly four times longer with alectinib (42.3 months) than with crizotinib (11.1 months).
• Long-term safety remains consistent with previous reports, with no new cumulative toxicity concerns identified after years of follow-up.