Merck & Co Inc (MRK) has announced positive topline data from the HERTHENA-Lung02 Phase 3 trial of patritumab deruxtecan in patients with locally advanced or metastatic EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who had previously received EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment. The study successfully met its primary endpoint of progression-free survival (PFS). Patritumab deruxtecan demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in PFS compared to platinum plus pemetrexed induction chemotherapy followed by pemetrexed maintenance chemotherapy. This is a significant development in the treatment of this challenging form of lung cancer.
While overall survival (OS) data was not yet mature at the time of the analysis, the trial will continue to assess this crucial endpoint. Patritumab deruxtecan is an innovative HER3-directed DXd antibody drug conjugate (ADC), developed jointly by Daiichi Sankyo Ltd (DSNKY) and Merck. The safety profile observed in HERTHENA-Lung02 was consistent with previous lung cancer clinical trials, with no new safety concerns identified. The majority of interstitial lung disease (ILD) events were categorized as low-grade (grades 1 and 2), and two grade 5 ILD events were recorded.
Meanwhile, Summit Therapeutics Inc. (SMMT) has released data from the primary analysis of the Phase 3 HARMONi-2 trial of ivonescimab conducted in China, sponsored by collaborative partner Akeso, Inc. The trial compared monotherapy ivonescimab against Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) in patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer whose tumors have positive PD-L1 expression. Ivonescimab monotherapy exhibited a statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival, the trial’s primary endpoint, compared to pembrolizumab monotherapy, achieving a hazard ratio of 0.51.
These positive developments in the treatment of lung cancer reflect the ongoing research and innovation in the pharmaceutical industry. The results of these trials could have significant implications for patients facing this diagnosis, potentially offering them new and effective treatment options.
