Assess the Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of Gefitinib (Iressa® 250mg) as Maintenance Therapy in Locally Advanced or Metastatic (Stage IIIB/IV) Non Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)

A Placebo-Controlled, Multicentre, Randomised, Parallel Group, Trial to Assess the Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of Gefitinib (Iressa® 250mg) as Maintenance Therapy in Locally Advanced or Metastatic (StageIIIB/IV) Non Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Chinese Patients Who HaveNot Experienced Disease Progression or Unacceptable Toxicity During Front Line Standard Platinum-Based Chemotherapy

This is a double blind, multicentre, randomized, placebo-controlled study. The eligible patients will be randomized to receive gefitinib or placebo at 1:1 ratio. This study will recruit 296 male or female, histologically or cytologically diagnosed locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC patients with a World Health Organization (WHO) Performance Status (PS) 0-2. Patients must have completed 4 cycles of platinum based first line doublet chemotherapy without experiencing disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The chemotherapy shall be given every 3 weeks, which includes cisplatin or carboplatin, combined with any one of the following: gemcitabine, paclitaxel, docetaxel, vinorelbine.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed locally advanced or metastatic (stage=IIIB/IV) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) before the front line chemotherapy. Note: sputum cytology alone is not acceptable
• Patients have completed 4 cycles of first line platinum contained doublet chemotherapy without progression or intolerable toxicity.
• Patients with PR or SD on study entry need to have one or more measurable lesions according to RECIST criteria.
• The study treatment should be started at least 3 weeks (21 days) but no more than 6 weeks (42 days) since last dose of chemotherapy, and within 4 weeks (28 days) since last tumour assessment.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Prior exposure to monoclonal antibodies or small molecule inhibitors against EGFR receptors. (e.g. gefitinib, erlotinib, C225)
• Patients with previously diagnosed and treated CNS metastases or spinal cord compression may be considered if they are clinically stable and have been discontinued from steroid therapy for at least 4 weeks prior to first dose of study medication.
• Any evidence of clinically active interstitial lung disease (patients with chronic, stable, radiographic changes who are asymptomatic need not be excluded)
• Known biomarker status of one or more of the following: Tumour EGFR gene copy number, tumour EGFR gene mutation status, tumour EGFR protein expression.