Nectin-4 is a cell-surface protein that is highly expressed in a variety of solid tumors, including bladder, head and neck, and certain aggressive breast cancers. Its low-level expression in some normal tissues creates a challenge for therapies, which can unintentionally damage healthy cells and trigger severe side effects.
The overexpression of fibroblast growth factor receptor 2b (FGFR2b) is tied to tumor progression in several malignancies, such as cholangiocarcinoma, HER2-negative gastric cancer and breast cancer. Lunan Pharmaceutical Group Corp. has developed a novel IgG1 monoclonal antibody against FGFR2b, LNF-2102, for the potential treatment of cancer.
Revolution Medicines Inc. has developed and presented data for their KRAS codon 13-targeting compound, RMC-8839, for treating non-small-cell lung cancers.
Convalife Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. has presented data for their bispecific antibody CVL-006, which targets both PD-1 and VEGF-A. CVL-006 blocks both the PD-1-driven immune pathway plus VEGF-A-driven angiogenesis, thus conferring a dual mechanism for superior antitumoral activity.
While positive results from the investigator-led phase II CHOPIN trial at ESMO 2025 failed to get investors dancing, they were no doubt music to management’s ears, particularly with Delcath Systems Inc.’s third quarter earnings report missing a beat.
Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are a mature technology. The first ADC, Mylotarg, was initially approved in 2000, and there are now 14 approved agents in both leukemias and solid tumors. According to Clarivate’s Cortellis Drug Discovery & Intelligence, those drugs collectively accounted for $13.55 billion in sales in 2024 – a figure that Cortellis projects will rise to $16 billion in 2025.
Detailed Viktoria-1 results of Celcuity Inc.’s gedatolisib positions the pan-PI3K/mTORC1/2 inhibitor as a top contender for second-line treatment of HR+/HER2- PIK3CA wild-type advanced breast cancer – a multibillion-dollar indication in need of new treatments.
Despite a recent stock surge, Olema Oncology Inc. shares (NASDAQ:OLMA) slipped 17% on Oct. 20 to close at $7.77 each in the wake of updated and positive phase Ib/II results for palazestrant, the company’s metastatic breast cancer drug.
The 2025 Annual Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) featured a track on tumor-agnostic therapies – the first time such a track has been included at ESMO, or at any major medical oncology meeting. “It’s a milestone,” Vivek Subbiah told the audience at a session on how to accelerate tumor-agnostic drug development.
Much-awaited detailed data from Exelixis Inc.’s phase III Stellar-303 study of zanzalintinib, presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology meeting, showed the third-generation, oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor in combination with Tecentriq (atezolizumab, Roche AG) reduced the risk of death by 20% vs. Stivarga (regorafenib, Bayer AG) in patients with previously treated non-microsatellite instability (MSI)-high metastatic colorectal cancer and are expected to pave the way for an NDA filing later this year.
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