Daiichi Sankyo, Merck lung cancer ADC improves progression-free survival in phase 3

Daiichi Sankyo and Merck announced that their phase 3 HERTHENA-Lung02 trial showed that patritumab deruxtecan significantly improved progression-free survival in patients with locally advanced or metastatic EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) compared to standard doublet chemotherapy.

The trial focused on patients whose disease progressed after treatment with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). While overall survival data are still being collected, the findings will be presented at an upcoming medical conference and shared with global regulatory authorities.

Patritumab deruxtecan, a HER3-directed antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), is a first-in-class treatment designed to target HER3, a protein frequently expressed in EGFR-mutated NSCLC. These mutations occur in up to 38% of NSCLC cases, which account for 85% of all lung cancers. Patients who progress after initial TKI treatment currently face limited second-line therapy options, highlighting the need for innovative treatments. 

The safety profile of patritumab deruxtecan in the HERTHENA-Lung02 trial was consistent with prior studies, with no new safety concerns. The trial enrolled 586 patients across multiple regions, including Asia, Europe, and North America. Full data from the trial will be evaluated as part of regulatory discussions.

Last month, Daiichi Sankyo and Merck announced the expansion of their ADC partnership to co-develop and co-commercialize Merck’s investigational T-cell engager, MK-6070, which targets the DLL3 protein. This partnership builds on an earlier $22 billion deal to develop ADC drug candidates like patritumab deruxtecan, ifinatamab deruxtecan, and raludotatug deruxtecan.