Approval Details and Background
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE) December 20, 2024 -- Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Braftovi (encorafenib) in combination with cetuximab (marketed as Erbitux® ) and mFOLFOX6 (fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin) for the treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) with a BRAF V600E mutation, as detected by an FDA-approved test.i The indication was approved based on a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in response rate and durability of response in treatment-naïve patients treated with Braftovi in combination with cetuximab and mFOLFOX6 from the Phase 3 BREAKWATER trial. Continued approval for this indication is contingent upon verification of clinical benefit. This accelerated approval is among the first in the industry to be conducted under the FDA’s Project FrontRunner, which seeks to support the development and approval of new cancer drugs for advanced or metastatic disease.
Expert Commentary
“Historically, treatment options have been limited and outcomes poor for patients diagnosed with metastatic colorectal cancer with BRAF mutations,” said Scott Kopetz, M.D., Ph.D., FACP, Professor and Deputy Chair of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and co-principal investigator of the BREAKWATER trial. “As the first and only combination regimen featuring a BRAF-targeted therapy for this patient population, usable even in first-line treatment, the encorafenib regimen has demonstrated high response rates that are rapid and durable. This represents an encouraging sign of continued disease control and a source of renewed hope for patients.”
BREAKWATER Trial Data
The ongoing BREAKWATER trial is evaluating Braftovi plus cetuximab with or without chemotherapy (mFOLFOX6) in previously untreated mCRC patients who harbor a BRAF V600E mutation. It is the only Phase 3 trial for a BRAF-targeted therapy regimen in first-line BRAF V600E -mutant mCRC. The trial met one of the dual primary endpoints of confirmed overall response rate (ORR), with a statistically significant improvement over standard of care: ORR 61% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 52, 70) for Braftovi in combination with cetuximab and mFOLFOX6 compared with ORR 40% (95% CI: 31, 49) for chemotherapy, with or without bevacizumab (p=0.0008).1 The median duration of response (DoR) was 13.9 months (95% CI: 8.5, not estimable) for the Braftovi combination regimen versus 11.1 months (95% CI: 6.7, 12.7) for chemotherapy, with or without bevacizumab.1 The Phase 3 BREAKWATER trial is ongoing, and results from the full dataset will be presented at upcoming medical meetings.
