The European Society for Medical Oncology Meeting (ESMO) 2023 took place from 20-24 October in Madrid, Spain. Many drug discovery companies took the opportunity to share their latest cancer research findings.
Axicabtagene ciloleucel, Kite
Two indirect comparative analyses of CAR T-cell therapy axicabtagene ciloleucel vs. bispecific antibodies epcoritamab and glofitamab, for relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-Cell lymphoma, showed improved progression-free survival (PFS). However, it was associated with higher rates of grade ≥3 cytokine release syndrome and neurological events.
Durvalumab and olaparib, AstraZeneca
A primary analysis of the DUO-E Phase III trial investigating durvalumab and olaparib in advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer showed an improvement in PFS compared to chemotherapy, reducing the risk-of disease progression or death by 45%.
Erdafitinib, Janssen
Data from the Phase II THOR-2 Cohort 1 study demonstrated that erdafitinib improved PFS by 72% compared with intravesical chemotherapy in patients with papillary-only high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer with fibroblast growth factor receptor alterations who had recurrence after Bacillus Calmette-Guérin treatment and refused or are ineligible for radical cystectomy.
Amivantamab, Janssen
Data from the Phase III MARIPOSA study showed amivantamab plus lazertinib improved PFS by 30% compared to osimertinib in patients with first-line advanced EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
The Phase III PAPILLON study demonstrated that in EGFR Exon 20 insertion-mutated advanced NSCLC, the median PFS was 11.4 months for amivantamab plus chemotherapy vs. 6.7 months for chemotherapy. The 18-month PFS rate was 31% vs. three percent.
Niraparib, Janssen
The MAGNITUDE study showed PARP inhibitor niraparib plus abiraterone acetate and given with prednisone, improved OS and time to symptomatic progression (TSP) in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer with BRCA1/2 mutations.
Datopotamab deruxtecan, Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca
The companies shared results from multiple trials of their TROP2 directed DXd antibody drug conjugate (ADC) datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd).
BEGONIA Phase Ib/II trial, Dato-DXd plus durvalumab (Arm 7), previously untreated advanced or metastatic triple negative breast cancer: The combinationdemonstrated an objective response rate (ORR) of 79%, including six complete responses (CRs) and 43 partial responses (PRs). Median PFS was 13.8 months and median duration of response (DoR) was 15.5 months.
TROPION-Breast01 Phase III trial, inoperable or metastatic HR positive, HER2 low or negative breast cancer: Dato-DXd demonstrated a median PFS of 6.9 months compared to 4.9 months for chemotherapy, reduced the risk of progression or death by 37% and showed an ORR of 36.4% compared to 22.9%.
TROPION-Lung01 Phase III trial, NSCLC: Dato-DXd reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 25% in the overall population and by 37% in patients with non-squamous tumours. Median PFS was 4.4 months versus 3.7 with docetaxel and the ORR was 26.4% compared to 12.8%. In patients with non-squamous NSCLC, the ORR was 31.2%, including four CRs, versus 12.8%.
Enfortumab vedotin-ejfv, Astellas and Seagen
The Phase III EV-302 clinical trial showed that PADCEV (enfortumab vedotin-ejfv) plus pembrolizumab improved OS and PFS vs. chemotherapy by more than 50% in patients with previously untreated locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer. Patients treated with the combination had a median OS of 31.5 months compared to 16.1 for chemotherapy and a median PFS of 12.5 months compared to 6.3.
Tisotumab vedotin-tftv, Genmab and Seagen
Results from the Phase III innovaTV 301 trial showed treatment with TIVDAK demonstrated a 30% reduction in the risk of death in recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer patients with disease progression on or after front-line therapy, compared with chemotherapy. The ORR was 17.8% compared to 5.2%, while the disease control rate (DCR) was 75.9% compared to 58.2%.
LTX-315, Lytix Biopharma
Data were presented from ATLAS-IT-05, a Phase II trial of LTX-315 plus pembrolizumab in stage III-IV melanoma patients refractory to treatment with PD-1 / PD-L1 inhibitors. The combination demonstrated a DCR of 43%. Some patients showed significant tumour shrinkage in both injected and non-injected lesions.
Vebreltinib, Apollomics
In the Phase II KUNPENG trial, vebreltinib showed efficacy in patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC harbouring Exon-14 skipping mutations, with an ORR of 75%. ORR and DCR were 100% in patients with brain metastases and ORR was 66.7% in patients with liver metastases. NSCLC patients with MetEx14 skipping mutation showed an ORR of 75%, median DOR of 15.9 months and a DCR of 96.2%.
Trastuzumab deruxtecan, AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo
Enhertu achieved a median PFS of 6.9 months and median OS of 13.4 months in the DESTINY-PanTumor02 Phase II trial in patients with HER2-expressing solid tumours. ORR was 37.1% and DoR was 11.3 months.
Osemitamab, Transcenta
Data from the TranStar102 study of Osemitamab (TST001) plus CAPOX chemotherapy in gastric and gastroesophageal cancer revealed a 55% RR, and a DoR and median PFS of more than 12 months for the expansion cohort. Of 49 patients (41 with CLDN18.2 positive tumours), 28 patients achieved PR, with 23 CR. The 12-month survival rate for cohort-C (64 patients) was 88.9%.
Diana Spencer, Senior Digital Content Editor, DDW
