Novel Cancer Therapies Shine at ESMO 2025, Promising New Frontiers in Treatment

The 2025 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) congress in Berlin has concluded, showcasing groundbreaking advancements in cancer treatment. Pharmaceutical giants including Pfizer, Merck, AstraZeneca, and Bristol Myers Squibb presented compelling data on antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), bispecific antibodies, and kinase inhibitors, potentially reshaping the landscape of oncology.

ADCs Demonstrate Impressive Efficacy Across Multiple Cancers

Antibody-drug conjugates emerged as a dominant theme at ESMO, with several companies reporting significant progress. Pfizer and Merck's collaboration on combining Padcev with Keytruda yielded striking results in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). The Phase III EV-303/KEYNOTE-905 trial showed a 60% reduction in the risk of tumor recurrence, progression, or death in cisplatin-ineligible patients, alongside a 50% improvement in overall survival compared to surgery alone.

Merck's partnership with Sichuan Kelun-Biotech also bore fruit, with their anti-TROP2 ADC sacituzumab tirumotecan demonstrating a 51% reduction in the risk of death or disease progression in EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Overall survival improved by 40% compared to standard chemotherapy.

AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo's ADC portfolio showed promise as well. Their TROP2-targeting Datroway improved progression-free survival by 43% in patients with locally recurrent or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. Meanwhile, the HER2-targeting Enhertu reduced the likelihood of death or recurrent invasive disease by 53% in HER2-positive early breast cancer patients with residual invasive disease, outperforming Roche's Kadcyla.

Bispecific Antibodies and Kinase Inhibitors: The Next Wave of Innovation

Akeso and Summit Therapeutics' PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody ivonescimab demonstrated a 40% progression-free survival advantage in advanced NSCLC when combined with chemotherapy, compared to BeOne's PD-1 inhibitor Tevimbra plus chemotherapy. Summit Therapeutics is planning a regulatory filing for ivonescimab by year-end, targeting second-line EGFR-mutated NSCLC.

In the kinase inhibitor arena, Boehringer Ingelheim's zongertinib showed impressive results in HER2-mutant advanced NSCLC, with a 77% objective response rate and 96% disease control rate in the Phase Ib Beamion LUNG-1 study. Bayer's competing tyrosine kinase inhibitor sevabertinib also demonstrated efficacy in HER2-mutated NSCLC, with objective response rates ranging from 38% to 71% depending on prior treatment history.

Exelixis made waves in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) treatment with zanzalintinib, reporting a median overall survival of 10.9 months compared to 9.4 months for Bayer's Stivarga. The company plans to file for FDA approval within the year, potentially setting "a new survival bar in the third-line or later mCRC setting," according to analysts at William Blair.

As ESMO 2025 concludes, these developments underscore the rapid evolution of cancer therapeutics, with ADCs, bispecific antibodies, and kinase inhibitors at the forefront of innovation. The pharmaceutical industry continues to push boundaries, offering new hope for patients across various cancer types and stages.