Safety and efficacy of durvalumab (MEDI4736) in various solid tumors

The prominent immune checkpoint molecule, programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1), is the object of increasing attention. Here, we report a meta-analysis investigating the safety and efficacy of durvalumab (MEDI4736), an inhibitor of PD-L1, in various solid tumors. A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and related articles was performed. Safety data were analyzed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software program version 2. Ultimately, 17 studies with 1,529 patients were included in our analysis. The major adverse events associated with durvalumab were pruritus and fatigue, while pruritus, increased alanine transaminase, and increased aspartate aminotransferase were common among patients treated with a combination of durvalumab and tremelimumab. Higher PD-L1 expression was associated with a superior objective response rate. Durvalumab is safe in patients with many solid cancers and, in combination with tremelimumab, it has a tolerable safety profile and is associated with improved prognosis. PD-L1 expression is a biomarker of the efficacy of durvalumab.