In The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, Yunpeng Yang and colleagues3 provide phase 2 activity data for yet another ALK inhibitor, ensartinib, in the post-crizotinib setting. In the absence of direct head-to-head comparisons of this crowded field of next-generation drugs, how can these new data for ensartinib and, by extension, the potential usefulness of the drug be assessed? In most situations, cross-trial comparisons are frowned upon because of the effect that differences in trial design, inclusion and exclusion criteria, and inherent heterogeneity among patients can have on outcomes with apparently similar interventions.
The Lancet Respiratory Medicine DOI: 10.1016/S2213-2600(19)30362-5
AUTHORS: Ross Camidge