Lung cancer is the most common and deadliest malignancy both globally and in China. According to the statistical report issued by the National Cancer Center, in 2022, there were an estimated 1.06 million new cases of lung cancer and 733,300 related deaths in China. Of patients with lung cancer, NSCLC accounts for up to 85%. Approximately 5-7% of patients with NSCLC have ALK-positive disease. Although some patients with ALK-positive NSCLC are diagnosed at an early or intermediate stage amenable to surgical resection, they still face high risks of recurrence and death, and traditional postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy offers modest benefits. Therefore, reducing the risk of recurrence and prolonging survival after surgery remains an urgent unmet clinical need.

The ELEVATE study directly addresses this unmet need. In the ELEVATE study, a total of 274 patients from 56 medical centers across China were randomly assigned at a 1:1 ratio to receive oral ensartinib or placebo following complete surgical resection and any planned adjuvant chemotherapy. It is a phase 3, multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind registration study in the field of ALK-TKI adjuvant therapy for ALK-positive lung cancer. The results showed a 2-year disease-free survival rate of 86.4% in the ensartinib group compared with 53.5% in the placebo group, with a hazard ratio of 0.20 (95% CI: 0.11 to 0.38) in patients with stage II to IIIB NSCLC. This means that two years of adjuvant treatment with ensartinib reduces the risk of disease recurrence or death by 80%. A significant reduction in this risk was also observed in stage IB to IIIB population, with a hazard ratio of 0.20 (95% CI: 0.10 to 0.37).

Dr. Ding Lieming, Chairman and CEO of Betta Pharmaceuticals, stated: "The publication of the ELEVATE study in NEJM represents high recognition from the international medical community of the scientific value and clinical significance of this research. It is not only an important milestone for Betta but also a landmark achievement showcasing Chinese clinical oncology research on the global academic stage, with the potential to change postoperative adjuvant treatment strategies for patients with ALK-positive lung cancer. The marketing application for the adjuvant indication of ensartinib has already been accepted in China. Moving forward, we will continue to focus on unmet clinical needs, deepen independent innovation, and accelerate the development of more innovative products with core competitiveness and global impact, benefiting more patients."

It is known that ensartinib is a novel, potent, and highly selective next-generation ALK inhibitor. It is an innovative drug developed independently and wholly owned by Betta Pharmaceuticals and its subsidiary Xcovery. Its first-line and second-line indications have already been approved in China, offering good accessibility and a favorable safety profile, and it has received the First Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress in Zhejiang Province. In December 2024, ensartinib was approved for marketing in the United States and subsequently included in the NCCN Guidelines for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Marketing authorization applications in other overseas markets, including the European Union, are progressing.