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  • Infinatamab Deruxtecan Shows Encouraging CNS Activity in Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer

    Infinatamab Deruxtecan Shows Encouraging CNS Activity in Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer

    Infinatamab deruxtecan (I-DXd) demonstrated intracranial efficacy with acceptable safety in patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) and baseline brain metastases, according to data from the primary analysis of the phase 2 IDeate-Lung01 trial (NCT05280470) presented during the 2025 ESMO Congress.1

    In those with baseline brain metastases (n = 65), the intracranial confirmed objective response rate (cORR) was 46.2% (95% CI, 33.7%-59.0%). Specifically, 30.8% of patients achieved a complete response (CR) as their best overall response, 15.4% experienced a partial response (PR), and 44.6% had stable disease (SD); 1.5% of patients experienced progressive disease (PD), and 7.7% were not evaluable (NE). The confirmed disease control rate (cDCR) was 90.8% (95% CI, 81.0%-96.5%). The median duration of response (DOR) was 6.2 months (95% CI, 4.0-7.9), and the median time to response (TTR) was 1.4 months (range, 0.9-8.5).

    Moreover, in patients who had not previously received brain radiotherapy for baseline brain metastases (n = 26), I-DXd elicited an intracranial cORR of 57.7% (95% CI, 36.9%-76.6%). In those with baseline brain target lesions (n = 29), the intracranial cORR with the agent was 65.5% (95% CI, 45.7%-82.1%), and the central nervous system (CNS) cDCR was 96.6% (95% CI, 82.2%-99.9%).

    “Intracranial efficacy with I-DXd [at] 12 mg/kg was promising, with 30.8% of patients achieving an intracranial CR, contributing to an intracranial cORR of 46.2% and DCR of 90.8%,” Pedro Simoes da Rocha, MD, PhD, said in a presentation of the data. Rocha is a medical oncologist at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona, Spain, and an International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) SCLC committee member.

    What Did IDeate-Lung01 Examine?

    The multicenter, randomized, open-label, phase 2 study included patients with histologically or cytologically documented ES-SCLC who were at least 18 years of age, had an ECOG performance status no higher than 1, and had previously received at least 1 but no more than 3 lines of platinum-based chemotherapy.2 Patients must have experienced radiologically documented disease progression on or after their most recent previous systemic treatment; they also needed to have at least 1 measurable lesion by RECIST 1.1 criteria. Those with asymptomatic brain metastases were allowed.

    For part 1 of the study, the dose-optimization portion of the research, patients were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive I-DXd at 8 mg/kg every 3 weeks (n = 46; arm 1) or at 12 mg/kg every 3 weeks. For part 2, the extension portion, the agent was further examined at the 12-mg/kg dose.

    The primary end point was ORR by blinded independent central review (BICR), and secondary end points included DOR, progression-free survival (PFS), DCR, and TTR by BICR and investigator assessment. Other end points comprised overall survival (OS), investigator-assessed ORR, safety, pharmacokinetics, and immunogenicity.

    Prior data from the IDeate-Lung01 study shared during the IASLC 2025 World Conference on Lung Cancer indicated that when I-DXd was given at a dose of 12 mg/kg every 3 weeks (n = 137), it elicited a systemic cORR of 48.2% (95% CI, 39.6%-56.9%). The DCR was 87.6% (95% CI, 80.9%-92.6%). The median TTR was 1.4 months (range, 1.0-8.1), and the median DOR was 5.3 months (95% CI, 4.0-6.5). Moreover, the median PFS was 4.9 months (95% CI, 4.2-5.5), and the median OS was 10.3 months (95% CI, 9.1-13.3).

    A subgroup analysis of patients with asymptomatic brain metastases identified by CNS BICR at study baseline was conducted and shared during the 2025 ESMO Congress.1 Brain CT or MRI was done at baseline for all patients. Those determined to have brain metastases had brain CT/MRI every 6 weeks for 36 weeks and every 12 weeks thereafter.

    What Did the Patient Population Look Like in IDeate-Lung01?

    Of the 137 total patients who received I-DXd at a dose of 12 mg/kg, 65 had baseline brain metastases, and 72 did not. Of those who did, 39 received prior brain radiotherapy, and 26 did not. A total of 29 patients had brain target lesions at baseline with a median size of 17 mm (range, 10-68); 15 of these patients had prior brain radiotherapy and 14 did not.

    The median patient age was 61.0 years (range, 39.0-76.0). Moreover, 80.0% of patients had an ECOG performance status of 1, and 20.0% had a status of 0. The median number of prior lines of systemic therapy received was 2 (range, 1-3).

    What Was Learned About the Systemic and Intracranial Efficacy of I-DXd in ES-SCLC?

    In those with baseline brain metastases, the agent led to a systemic cORR of 46.2% (95% CI, 33.7%-59.0%). Best overall responses included CR (1.5%), PR (44.6%), and SD (43.1%); 7.7% of patients had PD, and 3.1% were NE. The systemic cDCR was 89.2% (95% CI, 79.1%-95.6%), the median DOR was 4.3 months (95% CI, 3.0-5.8), the median TTR was 1.4 months (range, 1.0-8.1), the median PFS was 4.5 months (95% CI, 4.0-5.4) and the median OS was 10.4 months (range, 7.9-15.3).

    In those without baseline brain metastases (n = 72), the cORR with the agent was 50.0% (95% CI, 38.0%-62.0%) with best overall responses of CR in 2.8% of patients, PR in 47.2% of patients, and SD in 36.1% of patients; 6.9% of patients had PD, and 6.9% were NE. The cDCR in this group was 86.1% (95% CI, 75.9%-93.1%), the median DOR was 5.9 months (95% CI, 4.0-8.3), the median TTR was 1.4 months (range, 1.2-4.0), the median PFS was 5.4 months (95% CI, 4.2-6.7), and the median OS was 10.1 months (95% CI, 8.4-13.3).

    Concordance between systemic and CNS objective response was 75.4%, Rocha said, adding that the concordance between systemic and CNS disease control was 86.2%. “OS and PFS were similar for patients with and without baseline brain metastases,” he said.

    I-DXd showed intracranial efficacy irrespective of previous treatment for brain metastases at baseline. In those with prior radiotherapy (n = 39), the cORR was 38.5% (95% CI, 23.4%-55.4%); in those who received prior radiotherapy within 6 months prior to the study (n = 28), the cORR was 39.3% (95% CI, 21.5%-59.4%) and in those who received it 6 months or longer before study (n = 11), the cORR was 36.4% (95% CI, 10.9%-69.2%).

    “Progression in the brain was uncommon, suggesting that I-DXd may prevent brain metastases,” Rocha added. Among the 65 patients with baseline brain metastases, 35.4% experienced progression in the brain; in those who had not received prior radiotherapy (n = 26), this rate was 23.1%, and in those who had (n =39), this rate was 43.6%. In those without baseline brain metastases (n = 72), 12.5% experienced progression in the brain.

    The agent also elicited responses in those with brain target lesions at baseline (n = 29), he added. The CNS cORR in those without prior radiotherapy (n = 14) was 71.4% (95% CI, 41.9%-91.6%); in those with prior radiotherapy (n = 15), the CNS cORR was 60.0% (95% CI, 32.3%-83.7%). Concordance between systemic and CNS objective response was 69.0%, according to Rocha. The CNS DOR was 5.7 months (95% CI, 4.1-7.1) and the CNS TTR was 1.3 months (range, 0.9-3.0).

    What Is the Safety Profile of I-DXd in ES-SCLC and Baseline Brain Metastases?

    Any-grade treatment-related adverse effects (TRAEs) were experienced by 87.7% of patients with brain metastases at baseline (n = 65) and 91.7% of those without baseline brain metastases (n = 72); these effects were grade 3 or higher for 30.8% and 41.7% of patients, respectively. They were serious in 10.8% and 25.0% of cases. In those with baseline brain metastases, TRAEs led to dose delay, reduction, or treatment discontinuation for 23.1%, 15.4%, and 7.7% of patients; in those without baseline brain metastases, these rates were 27.8%, 15.3%, and 11.1%. TRAEs proved fatal for 1.5% and 6.9% of patients, respectively.

    The most common TRAEs experienced by at least 10% of patients with baseline brain metastases were nausea (any grade, 49.2%; grade ≥3, 1.5%), decreased appetite (32.3%; 1.5%), neutropenia (30.8%; 6.2%), anemia (27.7%; 7.7%), asthenia (23.1%; 1.5%), fatigue (20.0%; 3.1%), lymphopenia (20.0%; 12.3%), diarrhea (16.9%; 0%), leukopenia (15.4%; 0%), thrombocytopenia (13.8%; 6.2%), increased aspartate aminotransferase level (10.8%; 1.5%), constipation (10.8%; 0%), and pneumonitis (10.8%; 0%).

    What Is Next for I-DXd?

    The phase 3 IDeate-Lung02 study (NCT06203210) will be evaluating the intracranial activity of I-DXd vs physician’s choice of treatment in the form of topotecan, amrubicin, or lurbinectedin (Zepzelca) in patients with relapsed SCLC.3

    References

    1. Simoes da Rocha PF, Kim YJ, Han J-Y, et al. Intracranial activity of ifinatamab deruxtecan (I-DXd) in patients (pts) with extensive-stage (ES) small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and baseline (BL) brain metastases (BM): Primary analysis of IDeate-Lung01. Presented at: 2025 ESMO Congress; October 17-21, 2025; Berlin, Germany. Abstract 2760MO.
    2. Ahn M-J, Johnson ML, Paz-Ares L, et al. Ifinatamab deruxtecan (I-DXd) in extensive-stage small cell lung cancer: Primary analysis of the phase 2 IDeate-Lung 01 study. Presented at: International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) 2025 World Conference on Lung Cancer; September 6-9, 2025; Barcelona, Spain. Abstract OA06.03.
    3. A study of Ifinatamab deruxtecan versus treatment of physician’s choice in subjects with relapsed small cell lung cancer (IDeate-Lung02). Clinical Trials.gov. Updated August 7, 2025. Accessed October 18, 2025. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06203210

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  • Vert Is a File Format Converter You Can Quickly Deploy With Docker

    Vert Is a File Format Converter You Can Quickly Deploy With Docker

    I can’t tell you how many times I’ve needed files converted from one form to another. I might need to convert an image from .png to .jpg so it takes up less storage on my web hosting platform. I might need to convert a video from one…

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  • Scientists discover new way to predict next Mount Etna eruption

    Scientists discover new way to predict next Mount Etna eruption

    A newly discovered way to monitor magma movements beneath Mount Etna could help scientists forecast when it might erupt.

    Mount Etna, located on the Italian island of Sicily, is Europe’s largest active volcano. Humans have documented its activity…

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  • ASCENT-03 Trial Supports Standard Use of Sacituzumab Govitecan in mTNBC

    ASCENT-03 Trial Supports Standard Use of Sacituzumab Govitecan in mTNBC

    Sacituzumab govitecan (Trodelvy) reduced the risk for disease progression or death by 38% vs chemotherapy in patients with previously untreated, locally advanced, unresectable or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) who are ineligible for PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors, according to a presentation of the phase 3 ASCENT-03 trial (NCT05382299) at the 2025 ESMO Annual Congress.1,2

    In addition to its statistically significant and clinically meaning improvement in progression-free survival (PFS), the agent induced a superior duration of response (DOR) with no new safety signals.

    “This data might support a potential new standard, potential good option for patients with triple-negative breast cancer when they develop metastasis and are unable to receive immune checkpoint inhibitors,” Javier C. Cortés, MD, PhD, head of the International Breast Cancer Centre in Barcelona, Spain, said during a presentation of the data.

    How did sacituzumab govitecan perform against chemotherapy in mTNBC?

    Among patients treated with sacituzumab govitecan, median PFS by blinded independent central review (BICR) was 9.7 months (95% CI, 8.1-11.1) compared with 6.9 months (95% CI, 5.6-8.2) with chemotherapy (HR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.50-0.77; P <.001). Further, PFS rates were superior with sacituzumab govitecan compared with chemotherapy at 6 months (65% [95% CI, 59%-71%] vs 53% [95% CI, 47%-59%], respectively) and 12 months (41% [95% CI, 34%-47%] vs 24% [95% CI, 19%-30%)].

    When assessed by the investigators, PFS in the sacituzumab govitecan arm was 9.6 months (95% CI, 8.3-10.6), compared with 6.8 months with chemotherapy (95% CI, 5.6-7.2; HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.52-0.79). The 6- and 12-month PFS rates with sacituzumab govitecan were 65% (95% CI, 59%-70%) and 52% (95% CI, 46%-58%), respectively, compared with 38% (95% CI, 32%-44%) and 22% (95% CI, 17%-27%) with chemotherapy.

    PFS benefit was observed across all patient subgroups, including by age, ECOG PS, geographic region, disease state, PD-L1 status, and chemo selection prior to randomization.

    In addition, the objective response rate (ORR) with sacituzumab govitecan was 48% (95% CI, 42%-54%) compared with 46% (95% CI, 40%-52%) for those received chemotherapy (stratified odds ratio [OR], 1.1; 95% CI, 0.8-1.6). In the sacituzumab govitecan and chemotherapy arms, respectively, 20 patients (7%) and 15 patients (5%) experienced a complete response, 115 (41%) and 112 (40%) had a partial response, 113 (41%) and 101 (36%) had stable disease, and 14 (5%) and 36 (13%) developed progressive disease.

    “Objective response rates were similar in both treatment groups; however, duration of response was substantially longer with sacituzumab govitecan vs chemo,” Cortés noted. Median DOR was 12.2 months (95% CI, 9.7-13.8) with sacituzumab govitecan compared with 7.2 months for chemotherapy (95% CI, 5.7-8.4).

    Time to response by BICR was 1.6 months in both the sacituzumab govitecan (95% CI, 0.7-16.7) and chemotherapy (95% CI, 0.9-6.8) groups.

    Overall survival (OS) data was not mature at the time of the presentation; however, Cortés acknowledged that, of the 179 patients who initiated subsequent treatment after chemotherapy, 147 (82%) received sacituzumab govitecan.

    At the time of the presentation, median OS was 21.5 months (95% CI, 17.7-not reached [NR]) and 20.2 months (95% CI, 18.2-NR), respectively (HR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.75-1.30).

    Median PFS2 was 18.2 months (95% CI, 15.9-NR) and 14.0 months (12.5-17.4) with sacituzumab govitecan and chemotherapy, respectively (HR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.55-0.90).

    What are the adverse events (AEs) associated with sacituzumab govitecan?

    The median duration of treatment with sacituzumab govitecan was 8.3 months (range, <0.1-28.7).

    Treatment-emergent AEs (TEAEs) occurred in 99% and 97% of patients in the sacituzumab govitecan and chemotherapy arms, respectively, with grade 3 or higher events occurring in 66% and 62%, with 61% and 53% being treatment related.

    In total, 71 serious TEAEs occurred in the sacituzumab govitecan arm, 46 of which were treatment related. TEAEs let to treatment discontinuation in 10 patients, while 181 and 101 patients experienced dose interruptions and reductions, respectively. There were 7 TEAEs leading to death with sacituzumab govitecan. Cortés noted that the majority were due to infections, including 5 infections that were secondary to neutropenia. None of the 5 patients, who each had risk factors for febrile neutropenia, received prophylaxis with G-CSF

    The most common grade 3 or higher AEs included neutropenia (43%), diarrhea (9%), and leukopenia (7%). The incidence of AEs that led to discontinuation of sacituzumab govitecan or chemotherapy was 4% and 12%, respectively.

    What are the unmet needs in advanced TNBC?

    “Chemotherapy for many years, has been the mainstay of treatment for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer compared to other subtypes, and the absolute improvements in median overall survival have been relatively modest over time,” Ana C. Garrido-Castro, MD, medical oncologist, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and assistant professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School, in Boston, said during an invited discussion of the presentation.

    “…And the sobering truth is that across studies in the US and Europe, approximately 25% to 30% of patients diagnosed with metastatic TNBC are no longer alive at 6 months from their metastatic diagnosis, and 6 months is just about the median PFS of first-line chemotherapy. So, if there is a new drug that is able to significantly improve PFS with an acceptable toxicity profile, this should be sufficient to change the current standard of care in the first-line setting.”

    According to Cortés, most patients with previously untreated metastatic TNBC are not candidates to receive treatment with a PD-(L)1 inhibitor. Further, about half of the patients treated in the first line do not go on to receive a second line of therapy. “Unfortunately, the great majority of our patients will experience progressive disease, and we need to treat them with subsequent lines of therapies,” he added. “There is an urgent need for improved therapeutic options in earlier lines of therapy to delay progression and time to next line of treatment.”

    How was the ASCENT-03 trial conducted?

    Sacituzumab govitecan is approved to treat metastatic TNBC in the second-line setting and beyond, as well as for the treatment of patients with pre-treated HR-positive/HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer globally.

    The investigators conducted the international, phase 3, open-label, randomized trial of sacituzumab govitecan in patients with previously untreated, locally advanced, unresectable or metastatic TNBC who are not candidates for immune checkpoint therapy.

    In the trial, investigators randomized patients 1:1 to receive either 10 mg/kg IV sacituzumab govitecan on days 1 and 8 of 21-day cycles (n = 279) or one of the following chemotherapy regimens (n = 279): 90 mg/m2 paclitaxel or 100 mg/m2 nab-paclitaxel on days 1, 8, and 15 of 28-day cycles, or 1000 mg/m2 gemcitabine plus carboplatin AUC2 on days 1 and 8 of 21-day cycles.

    Treatment was continued until BICR-verified progression or unacceptable toxicity. Eligible patients were offered to cross over to receive second-line sacituzumab govitecan following BICR-verified disease progression.

    Patients were eligible for the trial if they were not candidates for PD-(L)1 inhibitors and were 6 months or less since treatment in the curative setting. Previously treated, stable central nervous system metastases were allowed.

    “Knowing that sacituzumab govitecan crossover could impact their final OS results and complicate, potentially, their path towards regulatory approval, the study team should be applauded,” Garrido-Castro commented. “In my opinion, inclusion of crossover should be considered for therapies with known overall survival advantage, particularly in those patient populations with poor prognosis, though we and regulatory agencies must be thoughtful then of how to interpret the results and the impact of crossover.”

    PFS, assessed by BICR, served as the primary end point of the study. Secondary end points included OS, ORR, DOR, time to response (TTR) by BICR, safety, and quality of life.

    In the sacituzumab govitecan and chemotherapy arms, median age was 56 (range, 22-84) and 54 years (range, 23-86), respectively; and the majority were White (64% each), had an ECOG PS of 0 (66% vs 67%), were PD-L1 negative (99% each), had lung metastases (59% vs 61%), and received prior neoadjuvant therapies (66% vs 68%). Further, 48% of patients in each arm experienced recurrence after 12 months or more following curative treatment

    References

    1. Cortés JC, Bardia A, Punie K, et al. Primary results from ASCENT-03: A randomized phase III study of sacituzumab govitecan (SG) vs chemotherapy (chemo) in patients (pts) with previously untreated advanced triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) who are unable to receive PD-(L)1 inhibitors (PD-[L]1i). Presented at: 2025 ESMO Annual Congress; October 17-21, 2025; Berlin Germany. Abstract LBA20.
    2. Cortés J, Punie K, Barrios C, et al. Sacituzumab Govitecan in Untreated, Advanced Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. N Engl J Med. 2025. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2511734

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  • Samsung ready to take on Google and Apple Cloud in 2026?

    Samsung ready to take on Google and Apple Cloud in 2026?

    It was recently reported that Samsung might end its partnership with Microsoft to offer cloud storage to Galaxy devices. Now, it has been revealed that the company might be soon take on Apple and Google by offering its…

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  • These 80-year-olds have the memory of 50-year-olds. Scientists finally know why

    These 80-year-olds have the memory of 50-year-olds. Scientists finally know why

    • SuperAgers are people over 80 whose memory performs as well as someone 30 years younger, showing that exceptional cognitive health can last a lifetime.
    • They tend to be highly social, maintaining strong relationships and active lifestyles,…

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  • These 80-year-olds have the memory of 50-year-olds. Scientists finally know why

    These 80-year-olds have the memory of 50-year-olds. Scientists finally know why

    • SuperAgers are people over 80 whose memory performs as well as someone 30 years younger, showing that exceptional cognitive health can last a lifetime.
    • They tend to be highly social, maintaining strong relationships and active lifestyles,…

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  • TUB-040 Elicits Early Responses in Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer

    TUB-040 Elicits Early Responses in Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer

    TUB-040 demonstrated promising response rates of more than 50% across doses of the NaPi2b-targeted antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) administered to patients with platinum-resistant high-grade serous ovarian cancer, according to findings from the phase 1/2a NAPISTAR1-01 study (NCT06303505) presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2025.1

    In the proof-of-concept dose escalation study, responses were seen at all doses higher than 1.67 mg/kg, including a complete response at the 2.5 mg/kg dose. At dose levels ranging from 1.67 mg/kg to 3.3 mg/kg, the objective response rate (ORR) was 59% and the disease control rate (DCR; ORR plus stable disease) was 96%. The confirmed ORR was 50%, with responses still ongoing for 93% of patients.

    “We had a high rate of good responses, and 80% of patients remain on treatment, indicating durable benefit. TUB-040 demonstrated significant efficacy in [patients with] biomarker unselected, heavily pretreated platinum-resistant ovarian cancer,” principal investigator Antonio Gonzalez-Martin, MD, PhD, Director of the Cancer Center Clínica Universidad de Navarra, said during a presentation of the results. “Responses occurred early and were deepening over time, as we will show in a future presentation.”

    TUB-040 is comprised of an Fc-silenced IgG1 antibody targeted to NaPi2b, an antigen that is highly overexpressed in ovarian cancer. The antibody is connected to the cytotoxic agent exatecan using a P5 linkage and a peptide-cleavable linker developed by the maker of the drug, Tubulis. The ADC has a drug-antibody ratio of 8 to 1. NaPi2b is also expressed in lung adenocarcinoma, with another arm of the NAPISTAR1-01 study also exploring the agent for patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

    In the study, 67 patients with ovarian cancer were enrolled to received TUB-040 across doses ranging from 0.5 mg/kg to a planned dose as high as 5.3 mg/kg. Data presented at ESMO focused on the 46 patients enrolled at dose level 1.67 mg/kg (n = 10), 2.1 mg/kg (n = 12), 2.5 mg/kg (n = 12), and 3.3 mg/kg (n = 12) but also included select information for the other doses.

    Across all doses, the median exposure to TUB-040 was 161 days, and only a minority (n = 15; 22%) had discontinued treatment. The main causes of treatment discontinuation were disease progression (n = 13) and adverse events (n = 2).

    Across all dose cohorts (n = 67), the median age was 62 years (range, 34.0-81.0). The ECOG performance status was 0 (55.2%) and 1 (44.8%), and the time from first diagnosis was a median of 5.3 years. Patients had received a median of 4 prior lines of therapy (range, 1-7). Most patients had prior exposure to bevacizumab (83.6%; Avastin) and a PARP inhibitor (76.1%), with 13.4% of patients also having received prior mirvetuximab soravtansin (Elahere). The median H score for NaPi2b expression was 175 (range, 95-295).

    The median follow up was 7.8 months (range, 1.0-19.2), and confirmed ORRs were 40%, 58%, 58%, and 42% at the 1.67, 2.1, 2.5, and 3.3 mg/kg doses, respectively. The ORR in each group consisted primarily of partial responses, except for 1 confirmed complete response at the 2.5 mg/kg dose. The CA125 response rate was 81%.

    More than half of patients (56.2%) remained free of a PFS event across the 1.6, 2.0, and 2.4 doses. Efficacy data in the 3.3 mg/kg were not yet fully mature, González-Martín noted in his slides. Of the 4 patients who received mirvetuximab soravtansin, there were 2 partial responses to the 2.1 mg/kg dose and 2 patients with stable disease in the 3.3 mg/kg arm.

    Activity was also seen across those with high and low levels of folate receptor alpha expression.

    All patients enrolled in the study experienced a treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAE). In the 46 patients receiving the dose of 1.67 to 3.3 mg/kg, the rate of grade 3 or higher TEAE was 35%. The grade 3 or higher TEAE rate was 49% across the full cohort of the study (N = 67).

    Grade 3 or higher serious TEAEs were experienced by 15% of patients in the 1.67 to 3.3 mg/kg dose group and were seen in 21% of those enrolled across the full study. Dose-limiting toxicity was observed at the 5.3 mg/kg dose. The maximum tolerated dose was determined to be 4.4 mg/kg. The phase 2a portion of the study will be focused on further dose optimization.

    The most common TEAE were nausea (78.3%), fatigue (47.8%), neutropenia (41.3%), anemia (34.8%), diarrhea (32.6%), constipation (32.6%), decreased appetite (28.3%), vomiting (26.1%), alopecia (26.1%), abdominal pain (26.1%), and urinary tract infection (21.7%). These events were mostly grade 1/2 in severity. Grade 3/4 TEAEs included neutropenia (21.7%), anemia (8.7%), thrombocytopenia (4.3%), nausea (4.3%), constipation (2.2%), and abdominal pain (2.2%).

    “There were no clinically relevant bleeding, pneumonitis, ocular toxicity, stomatitis, or neuropathy,” González-Martín noted. The only major ocular TEAE was dry eye, which was seen at a rate of 13%. Antiemetic therapy was not required at the outset of the study, he noted.

    There were 2 cases of asymptomatic transient pneumonitis that occurred at dose levels 1.67 mg/kg and 2.1 mg/kg. These each were grade 1 in severity and resolved without issues. “Both were short and resolved without treatment discontinuation,” González-Martín said.

    In June 2024, TUB-040 received a fast track designation from the FDA for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, based on early promise demonstrated for the agent.2 Tubulis noted plans to initiate additional studies, based on the early results presented at the ESMO meeting. They indicted plans to present data on the NSCLC cohort of the study at a future medical meeting.3

    References

    1. González-Martín A, Sehouli J, Braicu EI, et al. NAPISTAR 1-01: A phase I dose escalation study of TUB-040, a novel NaPi2b-targeting exatecan antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian (PROC) high grade serous carcinoma (HGSC). Presented at: 2025 ESMO Congress; October 17-21, 2025; Berlin, Germany. Abstract LBA43.
    2. Tubulis receives FDA fast track designation for antibody-drug conjugate candidate TUB-040 in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. News release. Tubulis. June 27, 2024. Accessed October 19, 2025. https://tubulis.com/news/tubulis-receives-fda-fast-track-designation-for-antibody-drug-conjugate-candidate-tub-040-in-platinum-resistant-ovarian-cancer/
    3. Tubulis Presents First Clinical Data from Phase I/IIa Trial for TUB-040 in Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer (PROC) at ESMO 2025. News release. Tubulis. October 19, 2025. Accessed October 19, 2025. https://tubulis.com/news/tubulis-presents-first-clinical-data-from-phase-i-iia-trial-for-tub-040-in-platinum-resistant-ovarian-cancer-proc-at-esmo-2025/

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  • Spain’s Alejandro Huerta & Adrian Gavira top the Nuvali Challenge to earn first Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour medal together

    Sunday’s men’s program in Santa Rosa offered four matches, all of which were resolved after three-set battles. In the gold medal showdown, the tie-breaker was pushed to overtime before fourth-seeded Huerta & Gavira could celebrate a 2-1…

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  • Ilia Malinin roars to men’s title with impressive 40-point lead

    Ilia Malinin roars to men’s title with impressive 40-point lead

    Ilia Malinin extended his two-year winning streak, claiming the first Grand Prix of the season by a 40.05-point margin on Sunday, 19 October.

    The USA figure skater returned to the same stage where he was last defeated, the Grand Prix de France,…

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