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Study reference · NCT03088540

EMPOWER-Lung 1

Cemiplimab versus chemotherapy: five-year follow-up

Fixed release · explorer-2026-09-11

At five years, estimated overall survival was 29% with cemiplimab and 15% with chemotherapy in the verified high-PD-L1 population.

Estimated survival at 5 years

Overall survival · percentage alive in each trial group

Cemiplimab29%

Study group: 284 participants · Confidence interval not verified in this release

Platinum chemotherapy15%

Study group: 281 participants · Confidence interval not verified in this release

The small black line shows uncertainty (95% confidence interval), where available. These estimates describe study groups, not an individual’s chance of survival.

Overall-survival hazard ratio: 0.59 (95% CI 0.48–0.72), cemiplimab versus chemotherapy.

Grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse events

Five-year report. Lower percentages mean fewer reported severe events.

Cemiplimab18.3%

See the safety population below.

Platinum chemotherapy39.9%

See the safety population below.

356 cemiplimab; 343 chemotherapy participants. This safety population is broader than the efficacy population.

Put the research in context

Who was studied?

Compare the reported population with what you know. It is fine to be unsure—those are useful questions for your care team.

Read the original sources →
Previously untreated advanced NSCLC, verified PD-L1 at least 50%, without EGFR, ALK, or ROS1 alterations.
Some participants had locally advanced disease.
ECOG performance status 0–1;
never-smokers were excluded.

These are reported population details, not a complete list of eligibility criteria. Who could enroll, who participated, and whose results were analyzed can differ. This checklist does not score your match, recommend treatment, or determine trial eligibility.

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Study design & endpoints

Open-label, randomized phase 3 trial; 712 randomized. These efficacy results use the verified PD-L1 ≥50% population (565 participants).

Co-primary endpoints: overall survival and progression-free survival.

What the chart cannot tell you

  • Participants assigned chemotherapy could switch to cemiplimab after progression; overall survival includes the effects of subsequent treatment.
  • The efficacy population is a verified biomarker subset of the full randomized trial. Safety results use a different population.
  • Never-smokers were excluded, and locally advanced disease was included. The population differs from KEYNOTE-024.
  • Confidence intervals for the five-year percentages have not been verified for this preview. They are not drawn or estimated.

Results are group estimates, not a personalized forecast, treatment recommendation, or confirmation of trial eligibility.

Full results table
EMPOWER-Lung 1: results as recorded in this release
GroupEfficacy nMedian overall survival, months (CI)Survival at 5 years (95% CI)Severe events
Cemiplimab28426.1 (22.1–31.9)29% (CI not verified)18.3%
Platinum chemotherapy28113.3 (10.5–16.2)15% (CI not verified)39.9%

Grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse events. 356 cemiplimab; 343 chemotherapy participants. This safety population is broader than the efficacy population.

Median survival is a time point, not average lifespan. Confidence levels and analysis details are reported with the source.

Keep exploring

KEYNOTE-024 →