Lung cancer drug trial results show ivonescimab extends survival and cuts death risk significantly in patients with advanced squamous NSCLC
A Chinese-developed cancer drug is turning heads in oncology. Ivonescimab, developed by Akeso, showed remarkable results in a late-stage clinical trial for advanced squamous non-small cell lung cancer. The lung cancer drug trial results were presented at a medical meeting in Chicago. Patients treated with ivonescimab alongside chemotherapy lived an average of 27.9 months. Furthermore, that compares favourably to 23.7 months for patients receiving the established immunotherapy Tevimbra with chemotherapy. The drug reduced the risk of death by more than one-third.
The trial involved 532 patients in China with stage 3 or stage 4 squamous NSCLC. All participants received chemotherapy alongside either ivonescimab or Tevimbra as a first-line treatment. Moreover, earlier data from the same study had already shown a 40 percent reduction in disease progression or death. Therefore, the survival benefit builds on a strong foundation of earlier promising results.
Ivonescimab belongs to a newer class called bispecific antibodies. These drugs target two cancer-related pathways at once. Specifically, ivonescimab blocks PD-1, which helps cancer cells evade the immune system. It also targets VEGF, a protein that supports tumour growth. Furthermore, researchers said this dual-target approach could represent an advancement over existing immunotherapies like Merck’s Keytruda, which primarily targets PD-1 alone.
Experts urged caution, however. Results from China-based trials may not translate directly to global populations due to biological and ethnic differences. Additional international studies are underway to confirm effectiveness across diverse patient groups. Furthermore, the ivonescimab group reported higher rates of serious side effects at 69 percent, compared to 59 percent in the control group. Still, treatment discontinuation rates remained similar in both groups.
Summit Therapeutics holds licensing rights for ivonescimab in the United States, Europe, Japan, and Canada. A global Phase III trial comparing the drug with Keytruda is currently ongoing. Finally, interim results are expected later this year — and the oncology world is watching closely.
