On March 11, 2019 Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) reported US Food and Drug Administration approval of the VENTANA PD-L1 (SP142) Assay2 as the first companion diagnostic to aid in identifying triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients eligible for treatment with the Roche cancer immunotherapy Tecentriq(atezolizumab)3 plus chemotherapy (Abraxane [paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension (albumin-bound); nab-paclitaxel]) (Press release, Hoffmann-La Roche, MAR 11, 2019, View Source [SID1234534191]). Assessment of PD-L1 biomarker status on tumor-infiltrating immune cells with the assay is essential for identifying those patients most likely to benefit from the treatment.

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A diagnosis of triple-negative breast cancer means that the three most common proteins associated with breast cancer growth – estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and HER2/neu – are not expressed on the tumor.

"Triple-negative breast cancer is an aggressive disease that, until now, has had limited treatment options," said Michael Heuer, CEO of Roche Diagnostics. "This assay plays a pivotal role in helping physicians identify patients that can benefit from Tecentriq therapy, providing better patient care. At Roche, we build on our capacity to research both targeted medicines and companion diagnostics under one roof, so we can provide the right treatment to the right patient at the right time."

The VENTANA PD-L1 (SP142) Assay was developed to enhance visual contrast of tumor-infiltrating immune cell staining. In triple-negative breast cancer, PD-L1 is primarily expressed on tumor-infiltrating immune cells rather than on tumor cells themselves.

Launched in 2016, the VENTANA PD-L1 (SP142) Assay is the primary diagnostic assay within the Tecentriq clinical development program and was used to enroll and stratify patients in Tecentriq clinical trials. The assay was the first to evaluate patient PD-L1 biomarker status using immune cell staining and scoring within the tumor microenvironment.4

About the VENTANA PD-L1 (SP142) Assay
The VENTANA PD-L1 (SP142) Assay is available on the fully automated BenchMark ULTRA instrument5 and uses the OptiView DAB IHC Detection Kit with OptiView Amplification Kit. The VENTANA PD-L1 (SP142) Assay performs specific staining of tumor cells and immune cells. The assay was previously approved by the FDA and CE marked for use as a companion diagnostic in urothelial carcinoma (UC)3 and as a predictive assay in second-line non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with Tecentriq. See the Tecentriq product label for more information on PD-L1 expression levels in therapeutic guidance for various cancer indications.

About the IMpassion130 study
The IMpassion130 study is a phase III, multicenter, randomized, double-blind study evaluating the efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetics of Tecentriq plus nab-paclitaxel compared with placebo plus nab-paclitaxel in people with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer who have not received prior systemic therapy for metastatic breast cancer (mBC). For details of the study go to www.roche.com.

About Tecentriq
Tecentriq is a monoclonal antibody designed to bind with a protein called PD-L1 expressed on tumour cells and tumour-infiltrating immune cells, blocking its interactions with both PD-1 and B7.1 receptors. By inhibiting PD-L1, Tecentriq may enable the activation of T cells. Tecentriq has the potential to be used as a foundational combination partner with cancer immunotherapies, targeted medicines and various chemotherapies across a broad range of cancers.

Tecentriq is already approved in the European Union, United States and more than 85 countries for people with previously treated metastatic NSCLC and for certain types of untreated or previously treated metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC). Tecentriq was also recently approved in the United States for the initial treatment of people with metastatic non-squamous NSCLC with no EGFR or ALK genomic tumour aberrations and for the treatment of PD-L1 positive, metastatic triple-negative breast cancer.