Two new studies show that patients with advanced HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer had higher survival when they received combination therapies.
Merck and Seattle Genetics will codevelop the antibody drug conjugate ladiratuzumab vedotin, while Merck gains ex-US commercialization rights to the HER2 inhibitor Tukysa.
The first-in-human trial will evaluate the safety, tolerability, and anti-tumor activity of SBT6050, a TLR8 agonist conjugated to a HER2-directed monoclonal antibody.
The company is hoping that ACE1702 will validate its antibody cell conjugation technology and show that its proprietary NK cells are more effective than current cell-based therapies.
The drug is now approved in Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan as an extended adjuvant treatment for adult patients with early-stage, HER2-positive breast cancer.
The promising response rates seen in the SUMMIT trial may provide further reason to broadly test all advanced cervical cancer patients for precision medicine biomarkers.
The test detects the HER2 biomarker in breast cancer and can be completed within the same day, allowing for faster results than other HER2 testing methods.
