Some of the most exciting news out of the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress 2022 in Paris surrounded the rapidly evolving field of multi-cancer early detection (MCED), which offers the dual benefits of identifying malignancies at a more easily treated local stage and enabling screening for the 70% of cancers that lack recommended screening tests.
The gamma secretase inhibitor nirogacestat (Springworks Therapeutics Inc.) reduced the risk of disease progression by roughly 70% in a randomized placebo-controlled phase III trial in patients with desmoid tumors.
Data presented Sept. 9 at the European Society of Medical Oncology 2022 Congress showed impressive effects for KRAS inhibitors. But they also illustrated their limitations. Earlier-stage trials and researcher presentations, meanwhile, suggested ways those limitations might be addressed. Results from the Codebreak 200 study, presented in the day’s Presidential Symposium, were typical of the best that targeted therapies have to offer: large effects for brief time periods.
Scientifically at least, the biggest story coming out of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2022 Congress is the success of cell therapy in solid tumors. “During this ESMO, there is a lot of novelty coming from T-cell therapies,” John Haanen told the audience at his joint keynote speech with Ton Schumacher – so much so that Haanen and Schumacher, both group leaders at the Netherlands Cancer Institute, left antibodies out of their keynote session in order to do justice to the advances in cell therapies.
Catalym GmbH reported in an oral session at the European Society for Medical Oncology meeting in Paris that its first-in-class growth differentiation factor 15 inhibitor, visugromab, demonstrated preliminary signs of efficacy in a heavily pretreated group of cancer patients who were resistant or refractory to checkpoint inhibitors.
New and updated preclinical and clinical data presented by biopharma firms at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress 2022, including: Adaptimmune, Curelab, Novartis.
Genexine Co. Ltd.’s DNA vaccine, GX-188E, showed potential in extending overall survival in patients with advanced cervical cancer in a phase II study when given in combination with Merck & Co. Inc.’s anti-PD-1 therapy, Keytruda (pembrolizumab).
New and updated preclinical and clinical data presented by biopharma firms at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress 2022, including: Debiopharm, Elevar, Genexine, Gilead, Hutchmed, Innovent.
ESMO late breakers were released Sept. 8, and scientifically at least, a key theme of the meeting will be that cell therapies, at long last, are capable of besting solid tumors.
Likely to garner attention at the upcoming European Society of Medical Oncology meeting are the MAGE-A4 and PRAME antigens which, although well-known and validated, have proved evasive for drug developers – a situation that may soon change.
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