Akeso Explains Ivonescimab Prelim OS Data After Investors’ Negative Reactions

From HARMONi-2 Vs Keytruda In NSCLC

Akeso explains the circumstances behind the release of preliminary overall survival data from a head-to-head Phase III trial with ivonescimab in lung cancer, which some investors viewed as disappointing.

Investors' expectations are high that Akeso and Summit Therapeutics' ivonescimab could eventually best Merck's Keytruda in overall survival for the first-line treatment of PD-L1-positive non-small cell lung cancer. (Shutterstock)

Akeso apparently disagreed with investors’ reactions after the Chinese biotech on 25 April provided an early release of preliminary overall survival (OS) data from an interim analysis of a high-stakes head-to-head Phase III trial of ivonescimab versus Keytruda (pembrolizumab) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Key Takeaways
  • Akeso/Summit's ivonescimab has shown a preliminary overall survival hazard ratio of 0.777 in the head-to-head HARMONi-2 study versus Keytruda in NSCLC, with no p value disclosed.

While ivonescimab, Akeso’s bispecific anti-PD-1/VEGF antibody, clearly beat Merck & Co.’s PD-1-targeting blockbuster in a...

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