Efficacy and safety of bevacizumab biosimilar compared with reference bevacizumab in locally advanced and advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients: A retrospective study

Abstract PurposeBevacizumab is important in the systemic treatment of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without gene mutation. Bevacizumab biosimilar has received marketing approval based on the results of phase III clinical studies. It is the first retrospective study to verify the efficacy and safety of bevacizumab biosimilar in clinical application.Methods We identified 946 patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC treated with bevacizumab biosimilar or bevacizumab. Efficacy evaluation was performed according to RECIST v1.1. Adverse events were graded following the CTCAE v5.0. ResultsThe objective response rates (ORRs) were 28.9% in the biosimilar group (n=551) and 30.9% in the reference group (n=395; unstratified ORR risk ratio: 0.934, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.677–1.138). The estimated median progression-free survival (mPFS) were 6.27 (95% CI: 5.53–7.01) and 4.93 (95% CI: 4.24–5.62) months, respectively (p=0.296). The number of treatment lines, combined treatment regimens and with or without radiotherapy were significant factors affecting the PFS of both groups (p<0.001, p=0.001, p=0.039). Different genetic mutations and dose intensity were not the main factors (p=0.627, 0.946). The incidences of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were 76.41% in the biosimilar group and 71.65% in the reference group (p=0.098). The incidences of grade 3 or higher TEAEs were 22.14% and 19.49%, respectively (p=0.324). ConclusionBevacizumab biosimilar is equivalent in efficacy to bevacizumab in patients with locally advanced and advanced NSCLC. It showed acceptable toxicity profile and no new adverse events. Patients who were excluded by clinical trials can also benefit from bevacizumab biosimilar.