Tecentriq vs Imfinzi
Both are checkpoint inhibitors. Here is how Tecentriq and Imfinzi compare on class, mechanism, dosing, approval and supply.
At a glance
Key differences
- Same class. Both Tecentriq and Imfinzi are checkpoint inhibitors, so they work through the same broad mechanism. Differences between them tend to be about dosing, route, how selective they are, and side effects rather than what they target.
- How they are taken. Both are given by the intravenous route.
- Time on the market. Tecentriq was first approved by the FDA in 2016, Imfinzi in 2017.
- Who markets them. Tecentriq is marketed by Genentech (Roche); Imfinzi by AstraZeneca.
What each one treats
TECENTRIQ is a programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) blocking antibody indicated: Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) as adjuvant treatment following resection and platinum-based chemotherapy for adult patients with Stage II to IIIA NSCLC whose tumors have PD-L1 expression on ≥ 1% of tumor cells, as determined by an FDA-authorized test. ( 1.1 , 14.1 ) for the first-line treatment of adult patients with metastatic NSCLC whose tumors have high PD-L1 expression (PD-L1 stained ≥ 50% of tumor cells [TC ≥ 50%] or PD-L1 stained tumor-infiltrating immune cells [IC] covering ≥ 10% of the tumor area [IC ≥ 10%] ), as determined by an FDA-authorized test, with no EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations. ( 1.1 ) in combination with bevacizumab, paclitaxel, and carboplatin, for the first-line treatment of adult patients with metastatic non-squamous NSCLC with no EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations. ( 1.1 …
IMFINZI is a programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) blocking antibody indicated: • in combination with platinum-containing chemotherapy as neoadjuvant treatment, followed by IMFINZI continued as a single agent as adjuvant treatment after surgery, for the treatment of adult patients with resectable (tumors ≥ 4 cm and/or node positive) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and no known epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangements. ( 1.1 ) • as a single agent, for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable, Stage III NSCLC whose disease has not progressed following concurrent platinum-based chemotherapy and radiation therapy. ( 1.1 ) • in combination with tremelimumab-actl and platinum-based chemotherapy, for the treatment of adult patients with metastatic NSCLC with no sensitizing EGFR mutations or ALK genomic tumor aberrations. ( 1.1…
How each one works
12.1 Mechanism of Action PD L1 may be expressed on tumor cells and/or tumor infiltrating immune cells and can contribute to the inhibition of the anti-tumor immune response in the tumor microenvironment. Binding of PD L1 to the PD 1 and B7.1 receptors found on T cells and antigen presenting cells suppresses cytotoxic T-cell activity, T-cell proliferation and cytokine production. Atezolizumab is a monoclonal antibody that binds to PD L1 and blocks its interactions with both PD 1 and B7.1 receptors. This releases the PD L1/PD 1 mediated inhibition of the immune response, including activation of the anti-tumor immune response without inducing antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. In syngen…
12.1 Mechanism of Action Expression of programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) can be induced by inflammatory signals (e.g., IFN-gamma) and can be expressed on both tumor cells and tumor-associated immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. PD-L1 blocks T-cell function and activation through interaction with PD-1 and CD80 (B7.1). By binding to its receptors, PD-L1 reduces cytotoxic T-cell activity, proliferation, and cytokine production. Durvalumab is a human immunoglobulin G1 kappa (IgG1κ) monoclonal antibody that binds to PD-L1 and blocks the interaction of PD-L1 with PD-1 and CD80 (B7.1). Blockade of PD-L1/PD-1 and PD-L1/CD80 interactions releases the inhibition of immune responses, with…
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How this page is built
The facts on this page are pulled directly from official U.S. FDA datasets — they are not written from memory. Each field below names the dataset it came from, so you can check it yourself.
- FDA Drug Label (openFDA) ↗ Indications, mechanism of action and pharmacologic class
- Drugs@FDA ↗ First FDA approval date and the company holding the application
- FDA Drug Shortage Database ↗ Current US supply / shortage status
Plain-English summaries and drug-class explainers are written and reviewed by Sreepriya Prasannan (MSc Digital Transformation of Life Sciences (Innopharma Education / Griffith College); MSc & BSc Botany). Data is retrieved automatically from the sources above and cross-checked with AI-assisted verification (Anthropic's Claude) — brand and generic names are matched against the exact FDA product record so that a combination product or a different formulation cannot be mistaken for the drug on this page. An editor reviews the result before publication. We describe this in full in our editorial standards and corrections policy. The FDA data on this page was last retrieved on 8 Oct 2026. How every register is built: methodology · fixes we have made: corrections log.