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ASCO: Ivonescimab A New Challenger To Keytruda In 1L, PD-L1-High NSCLC?

Akeso/Summit Release New Head-To-Head Results

 
• By Dexter Jie Yan

Backed by strong progression-free survival results from the China-only, head-to-head HARMONi-2 trial, Akeso/Summit’s ivonescimab could be set to become a global contender against established standard of care Keytruda in first-line, PD-L1-high non-small cell lung cancer.

lung cancer
Akeso/Summit contender may challenge Keytruda in PD-L1-high NSCLC • Source: Shutterstock

Summit Therapeutics plc and Chinese partner Akeso Inc.'s quest to develop a potential global challenger to Merck & Co., Inc.’s blockbuster Keytruda (pembrolizumab) in the advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) space is poised to expand to the US firm’s most formidable stronghold – as a monotherapy for the first-line treatment of tumors with PD-L1-high expression (PD-L1 TPS (tumor promotion score) >50%).

Key Takeaways

  • The anti-PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody ivonescimab bested Keytruda as monotherapy in the first-line setting in terms of progression-free survival in NSCLC in the head-to-head Phase III HARMONi-2 trial.

Last week, Summit/Akeso claimed that in the head-to-head Phase III HARMONi-2 trial, their anti-PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody ivonescimab bested Keytruda as...

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