HUTCHMED (China) (NASDAQ:HCM) and partner AstraZeneca (NYSE:AZN) reached a major scientific milestone Wednesday with the publication of full Phase III SACHI trial results in The Lancet.
The data confirms that an all-oral, chemotherapy-free combination of savolitinib (Orpathys®) and osimertinib (Tagrisso®) significantly improves survival for patients with a specific, hard-to-treat form of lung cancer.
The study targeted patients with advanced EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who developed MET amplification—a notorious resistance mechanism—after failing prior targeted therapies.
Results showed the combination slashed the risk of disease progression or death by 66% compared to standard platinum-based chemotherapy.
Patients on the dual-oral regimen achieved a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 8.2 months, nearly double the 4.5 months seen in the chemotherapy arm (p< 0.0001).
"The SACHI trial provides compelling evidence that this combination can transform outcomes," said Professor Shun Lu of the Shanghai Lung Cancer Center, co-leading Principal Investigator.
"By addressing MET amplification directly, we are offering a clinically meaningful, oral alternative to the toxicity of traditional chemotherapy for a highly challenging patient population."
The publication follows the drug's regulatory approval in China in June 2025, a decision based on the interim data now validated by the global medical community.
Savolitinib, a highly selective MET inhibitor, is being jointly developed by HUTCHMED and AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN), with the companies currently conducting the SAFFRON global Phase III trial to bring the combination to the U.S. and European markets.