The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting was held in Chicago, featuring over 5,000 research abstracts on various cancer treatments and studies. Several pharmaceutical giants and biotech companies presented promising data, including AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Gilead, and Merck. Here are the key highlights:
* AstraZeneca’s Enhertu, in combination with pertuzumab, showed impressive results in treating HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer, with patients living 41 months without disease progression, compared to 27 months with standard treatment.
* Pfizer’s Braftovi, combined with two other cancer treatments, doubled survival time for patients with aggressive colorectal cancer, cutting deaths by 51% and reducing disease progression by 47%.
* Gilead and Merck’s combination of Trodelvy and Keytruda lowered the risk of aggressive breast cancer worsening by 35% when used as an initial treatment.
* Merck and Daiichi Sankyo’s experimental treatment, patritumab deruxtecan, disappointed in a lung cancer trial, failing to prolong patient lives, but the companies plan to advance the treatment for breast cancer.
* Amgen’s Imdelltra reduced the risk of death by 40% compared to chemotherapy for small cell lung cancer patients.
In other healthcare news, Bristol Myers Squibb partnered with BioNTech to develop a next-generation cancer immunotherapy, which could rival existing treatments like Keytruda. The FDA also approved the first-ever AI platform for breast cancer prediction from Boston-based Clairity, which could help reduce over-screening and improve early detection.
Additionally, Amazon Pharmacy announced new features for caregivers and Medicare Part D patients, allowing customers to directly access PillPack’s services and manage medications on behalf of their loved ones. The company’s online pharmacy is part of its effort to push into the healthcare industry, following its acquisition of primary care provider One Medical in 2022.
Overall, the ASCO meeting highlighted significant advancements in cancer treatment, with several promising therapies and studies showing improved patient outcomes. The healthcare industry continues to evolve, with companies investing in innovative technologies and partnerships to improve patient care and access to treatments.