2024 ASCO Meeting Unveils Breakthrough Oncology Data

The 2024 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) showcased notable advancements in cancer treatments, bringing hope to patients worldwide. This year's theme, "The Art and Science of Cancer Care: From Comfort to Cure," highlighted a range of significant clinical results and promising drug developments.

Global Oncology Market Projections

Spherical Insights analysts predict that the Global Oncology Drugs Market will reach a value of $564.5 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 11.5%. Given the lengthy duration required for clinical trials—typically 10-15 years—today's developments are crucial for future outcomes. Retail investors are advised to monitor the milestones and data presented by ASCO attendees, including major companies such as Oncolytics Biotech Inc., AbbVie Inc., AstraZeneca PLC, Pfizer Inc., and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company.

Oncolytics Biotech Inc. Updates

Oncolytics Biotech Inc. provided updates on its novel immunotherapy, pelareorep. The company presented two abstracts showcasing the potential of pelareorep in treating pancreatic cancer and its mechanism of action across multiple cancer types. The first abstract outlined a trial-in-progress for a new cohort in their GOBLET study, which evaluates combinations of pelareorep and modified FOLFIRINOX, with and without Roche's atezolizumab, in newly diagnosed patients with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

Dr. Matt Coffey, President and CEO of Oncolytics, emphasized that the chemotherapy regimens of mFOLFIRINOX and gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel are current standards of care in metastatic pancreatic cancer. The combination of pelareorep with these treatments has shown promising results. Funded by a $5 million Therapeutic Accelerator Award grant from the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN), Oncolytics Biotech plans to start enrolling patients this quarter following regulatory clearance.

The GOBLET cohort 5 study uses a Simon two-stage design to assess the effectiveness and safety of these treatments. The primary goals include measuring progression-free survival, overall survival, and biomarkers to determine the treatments' impact. Positive results in the initial stage could lead to further investigation with additional patients.

AbbVie Inc.'s Solid Tumor Pipeline

AbbVie Inc. showcased its solid tumor pipeline, focusing on antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting unique protein biomarkers such as c-Met and SEZ6. These biomarkers are over-expressed across various tumors. AbbVie presented positive Phase I and II trial data for three ADC therapies—Teliso-V, ABBV-400, and ABBV-706—in solid tumor patients. The Teliso-V results, part of the LUMINOSITY study, showed a mean overall response rate (ORR) of 28.6% and highlighted the potential of targeting c-Met in non-squamous NSCLC.

AstraZeneca's Enhertu and Tagrisso

AstraZeneca PLC, in collaboration with Daiichi Sankyo, reported that their drug Enhertu reduced the risk of breast cancer progression by 37% compared to chemotherapy in certain patient groups. Susan Galbraith, Executive Vice President of Oncology R&D at AstraZeneca, noted that these results could shift treatment paradigms for HER2-expressing breast cancer patients.

AstraZeneca also highlighted the success of Tagrisso in a phase 3 lung cancer trial, which reduced disease progression risk by 84% compared to placebo. The drug significantly extended progression-free survival, reinforcing its role as a key therapy for EGFR-mutated lung cancer.

Pfizer Inc.'s Lorbrena

Pfizer Inc. presented impressive phase 3 clinical trial results for Lorbrena, a drug approved in 2021 for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Five-year follow-up data showed that Lorbrena reduced the risk of disease progression by 81% compared to Xalkori. The majority of patients on Lorbrena exhibited a five-year progression-free survival, underlining Pfizer's commitment to breakthrough cancer treatments.

Challenges for KRAS Inhibitors

KRAS inhibitors, presented by Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMS) and Amgen, faced challenges. Despite initial accelerated approval by the FDA, BMS's Krazati showed limited improvement in median progression-free survival, extending it by only 1.7 months beyond chemotherapy in a confirmatory study. Nevertheless, the results support Krazati as a targeted treatment option for KRASG12C-mutated NSCLC.

Overall, the ASCO 2024 meeting highlighted significant advancements and ongoing challenges in cancer treatment, emphasizing the critical role of continuous research and development in improving patient outcomes.

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