Which Pipeline Will Lead the Trend in Oncology? Insights from AstraZeneca's Latest Data at ASCO 2024
AstraZeneca
Biopharmaceutical Manufacturer
Preface
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting brings together cutting-edge academic research and scholars from around the globe, and with its unparalleled scale and academic standards, it has become the most anticipated annual event in the field of oncology. This year’s ASCO Annual Meeting will officially commence on May 31st, local time in Chicago, offering a five-day academic feast.
At the star-studded ASCO Annual Meeting, AstraZeneca presented 25 approved drugs and potential new drugs across multiple fields including lung cancer (LC), breast cancer (BC), gastrointestinal tumors, gynecological tumors, and urological tumors.Ultra100 ItemsResearch Abstract, including2 itemsPlenary report of重磅 research,1 itemSpecial Heavyweight Research Abstract Session Report, and15 itemsOral Report. Among them are groundbreaking clinical studies in cancer treatment, such as those that have reshaped the treatment landscape for EGFR-mutated (EGFRm) Stage III unresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).LAURA Study, rewriting the treatment landscape of limited-stage small cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC) over the past 30 yearsADRIATIC StudyAnd initiate the switch in treatment modes for hormone receptor-positive (HR+) advanced BC, including endocrine therapy, chemotherapy, and antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) therapy.DESTINY-Breast06 StudyNext, we will look at AstraZeneca's latest developments at this ASCO meeting from the perspective of different tumor types.
Continuously Explore, Unlock More Possibilities in LC Treatment
At this year's ASCO Annual Meeting, innovative therapies such as Osimertinib, Durvalumab, Dato-DXd, and Monalizumab (anti-NKG2A monoclonal antibody) demonstrated AstraZeneca's continued dedication to the LC field and its forward-looking efforts to address unmet clinical needs. Notably, the LAURA and ADRIATIC studies were selected for presentation at this year’s plenary session due to their rigorous design and robust data results.
LAURA Study Evaluates the Efficacy of Osimertinib Consolidation Therapy After Chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in Stage III Unresectable EGFRm NSCLC Patients; High-Level Positive Results Published in February Show Osimertinib Achieved Overwhelming PFS Benefits in This Patient Population, with Full Results to Be Presented at the Plenary Session on June 2nd, US Time.
In the field of LS-SCLC, which has been quiet for 30 years, the ADRIATIC study was the first to confirm the efficacy benefit of durvalumab in LS-SCLC patients who did not experience progression after concurrent CRT. The total survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) data will be disclosed for the first time at the plenary session report.
In addition to the two plenary session reports, the ADAURA study and the AEGEAN study have once again reached the ASCO Annual Meeting through MRD analysis and N2 subgroup population analysis, respectively. The ADAURA study supports the potential of molecular residual disease (MRD) based on circulating tumor DNA in predicting disease recurrence. The AEGEAN study confirms the benefit improvement of durvalumab "sandwich" therapy for N2 patients. Moreover, data from multiple studies, including a Phase II study of osimertinib combined with stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) as first-line treatment for advanced EGFRm NSCLC and the COAST study, will be presented at ASCO in oral or poster form, pushing LC survival benefits to new heights.
Important Report in the LC Field
Exploring Breakthroughs, Advancing the Path in BC Treatment
At this year's ASCO Annual Meeting, drugs such as Trastuzumab Deruxtecan, Dato-DXd, and Capivasertib once again delivered impressive results in multiple studies within the breast cancer (BC) field. Notably, the DESTINY-Breast06 study of Trastuzumab Deruxtecan was selected for presentation in the Late-Breaking Abstract (LBA) session due to its groundbreaking outcomes.
The DESTINY-Breast06 study compared the efficacy and safety of trastuzumab deruxtecan with investigator-selected chemotherapy regimens in patients with HER2-low and HER2-ultralow advanced breast cancer who had previously received 1-2 lines of endocrine therapy. In April this year, it was announced that the DESTINY-Breast06 study achieved positive results, meaning that compared with investigator-selected chemotherapy, trastuzumab deruxtecan significantly improved PFS, with clinically meaningful benefits observed in both HER2-low and HER2-ultralow subgroups. The updated OS data from the DESTINY-Breast03 study once again confirmed that the overwhelming PFS data of trastuzumab deruxtecan in second-line treatment for HER2-positive advanced breast cancer translated into OS benefits. Meanwhile, the DESTINY-Breast07 study moved the treatment line of trastuzumab deruxtecan even earlier, being the first clinical study to explore trastuzumab deruxtecan ± pertuzumab as a first-line treatment for HER2-positive advanced breast cancer.
The patient-reported outcome analysis results of the first Phase III clinical trial TROPION-Breast01 for Dato-DXd in the BC field will be announced in an oral presentation, further demonstrating that Dato-DXd can be a preferred treatment option for HR-positive, HER2-negative advanced BC patients after the failure of endocrine therapy. The I-SPY2.2 trial will also present the pathological complete response rates of Dato-DXd ± durvalumab in neoadjuvant therapy through an oral report, providing evidence-based medical proof for Dato-DXd's advancement into neoadjuvant treatment for BC.
In addition to the above studies, the latest data from the PRO-DUCE study, the pooled analysis of DESTINY-Breast01, 02, and 03 studies, and the concordance analysis of PIK3CA/AKT1/PTEN detection in ctDNA and tumor tissue based on the CAPItello-291 study will be presented at this year's ASCO Annual Meeting, contributing to the creation of a new era in BC treatment.
Important Report in the BC Field
On the Rise: Multiple Studies in the Field of Gastrointestinal Tumors Set to Make a Stunning Debut
At this year's ASCO Annual Meeting, innovative therapies such as the PD-L1 inhibitor durvalumab, CAR-T cell therapy, bispecific antibodies, and Claudin18.2 ADC have shown impressive results in the field of gastrointestinal tumors. Notably, the safety analysis results of the EMERALD-1 study for durvalumab, along with Study 22—which investigates durvalumab as monotherapy and in combination with tremelimumab or bevacizumab for the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)—are set to make a striking appearance.
The rapid oral presentation will highlight the safety and preliminary efficacy results of the investigator-initiated C-CAR031 study, where C-CAR031 is an armored CAR-T therapy targeting GPC3, currently under research for the treatment of HCC. In addition, the results of the GEMINI-Hepatobiliary study on the bispecific immune drugs Volrustomig and Rilvegostomig in the field of HCC are about to be revealed.
In the field of gastric cancer, the GEMINI-Gastric study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the combination therapy of Volrustomig, Rilvegostomig, AZD0901, and AZD7789, and this study is currently ongoing. In the Education Session, new developments in the Phase I clinical trial of CMG901, a Claudin18.2-specific antibody-drug conjugate for treating advanced gastric cancer/gastroesophageal junction cancer, will also be unveiled.
In addition, the data from the DESTINY-PanTumor02 (DP-02) study of trastuzumab deruxtecan in treating HER2-expressing biliary tract cancer (BTC) and pancreatic cancer (PC) will also be presented at this year's ASCO.
Important Report in the Field of Gastroenterology
Pioneering Spirit: Solo Operations and Strong Alliances in the Field of Gynecologic Oncology
In the field of gynecologic oncology, immunotherapy and targeted therapy drugs such as Olaparib, Durvalumab, and Ceralasertib have achieved a series of exciting research advances, opening new treatment pathways for ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, and cervical cancer.
L-MOCA Study is the first Phase III trial to demonstrate the efficacy of olaparib monotherapy as maintenance treatment for Asian patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent (PSR) ovarian cancer, primarily enrolling Chinese patients. International conferences have repeatedly reported the therapy's favorable efficacy and tolerability, with a median PFS of 16.1 months in the ITT population. The latest interim analysis of median OS presented at this year’s ASCO revealed that the ITT population achieved a median OS of 54.4 months. Regardless of BRCA mutation or HRD status, maintenance treatment with olaparib significantly prolonged patients' OS, providing clinicians with more comprehensive and robust data support to make treatment decisions that maximize patient benefit.
DUO-E Study is the world's first Phase III trial of "immune checkpoint inhibitor + PARP inhibitor" as a first-line treatment for advanced endometrial cancer. Its positive results were重磅 announced at the 2023 ESMO Congress. At this year’s ASCO meeting, the DUO-E study will once again be in the spotlight, presenting updated safety data and survival outcomes across different BRCA mutation statuses.
In addition, the strategy of Durvalumab combined with BVAC-C as a second-line treatment for recurrent HPV 16/18 positive cervical cancer will be validated in the DURBAC study; the NEO study of Olaparib as neoadjuvant therapy for PSR high-grade serous ovarian cancer will also achieve breakthrough progress; the CAPRI study will further explore the potential of Olaparib combined with ATR inhibitor Ceralasertib in PSR ovarian cancer, etc.
Important Report in the Field of Gynecological Oncology
Extensive Exploration to Enrich More Applications in the Early Stages of Urological Oncology
In the field of urological oncology, multiple studies on drugs such as Olaparib, Saruparib, and Trastuzumab Deruxtecan presented at this year's ASCO conference once again demonstrated clinical application potential, with Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) gaining significant attention.
The treatment regimen of PARPi combined with novel endocrine therapy (NHT) is increasingly emerging in prostate cancer research. Currently, androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) + NHT or chemotherapy is the standard treatment for metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). The PROact study explores the earlier use of PARPi, evaluating the efficacy and safety of the olaparib combined with abiraterone + prednisone regimen in mHSPC patients with HRR mutations. This is a single-arm, single-center, Phase II study, and the publication of the PROact study results will greatly expand the application prospects of PARPi in prostate cancer.
Similarly, the design of the second-generation PARPi Saruparib in combination with NHA for hormone-sensitive prostate cancer will be presented at this conference. The EvoPAR-Prostate01 study is a two-cohort, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter global Phase III trial that will investigate the efficacy of Saruparib + NHT vs. placebo + HNT in mHSPC patients with or without HRR mutations.
In addition, as the first Phase III clinical study of PARPi combination therapy to disclose final OS in mCRPC, the PROpel study has confirmed the efficacy and safety of olaparib combined with abiraterone in the first-line treatment of mCRPC. The safety data of different baseline characteristic populations in the PROpel study will be reported at this meeting.
In other urological tumors, trastuzumab deruxtecan demonstrated clinically meaningful survival benefits for patients with various HER2-expressing advanced solid tumors in the Phase II clinical trial DESTINY-PanTumor02 presented at the 2023 ASCO meeting. This time, the data from the bladder cancer cohort of the DESTINY-PanTumor02 study will be updated, further enriching the clinical evidence for the application of trastuzumab deruxtecan.
Important Report in the Field of Urology
Editor: Felicia
Reviewed by: Felicia
Typesetting: KIKI
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