Tecentriq (atezolizumab) in combination with Avastin (bevacizumab) is not approved as adjuvant therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma

A Dear Healthcare Professional Letter has been issued by Roche Singapore Pte Ltd to inform healthcare professionals that Tecentriq (atezolizumab) in combination with Avastin (bevacizumab) is not approved as adjuvant therapy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at high risk of recurrence after surgical resection or ablation. Updated analysis data from IMbrave050, a study evaluating atezolizumab in combination with bevacizumab in the adjuvant setting of HCC, show that the recurrence-free survival benefit seen at the first interim analysis is not sustained with longer follow-up. The overall survival data is still immature at the time of this updated analysis. The overall safety profile remains consistent with the first interim analysis. Based on these data, the benefit-risk profile does not support the use of atezolizumab with bevacizumab as an adjuvant therapy for HCC and healthcare professionals are advised against this off-label use. There is no impact on the approved indication of unresectable HCC, where the combination of atezolizumab and bevacizumab remains a treatment option. Please refer to the letter for details.

Only abstracts of the Dear Healthcare Professional Letters (DHCPL) are provided on this website. Details of these letters can be found in the MOH Alert System, which is accessible via the Health Professionals Portal (HPP), a one-stop portal for all healthcare professionals in Singapore. Dentists, medical doctors and pharmacists may access HPP at https://hpp.moh.gov.sg and follow the procedures below to access the MOH Alert system.

Step 1: Select your profession under ‘For Healthcare Professionals’.

Step 2: Click on ‘Useful links’.

Step 3: Click on ‘MOH Alert’ and log in via Singpass.

Step 4: Click on ‘Drug Alerts’ or ‘Med Device Alerts’ to view the DHCPLs.