Sacituzumab tirumotecan in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer with or without EGFR mutations: phase 1/2 and phase 2

Shen Zhao1, Ying Cheng2, Qiming Wang3,4

  • 1Department of Medical Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, China.

Nature Medicine
|April 10, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT), a TROP2-directed antibody-drug conjugate, shows promise in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with EGFR mutations. This novel therapy demonstrated encouraging efficacy and manageable safety in previously treated patients.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (TROP2)-directed antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are emerging anticancer agents.
  • Previous TROP2-ADC trials in unselected advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients have unfortunately failed.
  • Sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT) is a novel TROP2-directed ADC with potential in NSCLC.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy and safety of sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT) in previously treated, advanced NSCLC patients.
  • To investigate the impact of EGFR mutations on sac-TMT's effectiveness.
  • To explore the mechanisms underlying sac-TMT activity in NSCLC.

Main Methods:

  • Phase 1/2 (KL264-01) and Phase 2 (SKB264-II-08) clinical trials were conducted.
  • Patients with advanced NSCLC, with or without EGFR mutations, received sac-TMT.
  • Objective response rate (ORR) and progression-free survival (PFS) were primary endpoints.

Main Results:

  • In KL264-01, the confirmed ORR was 40% (40% in EGFR-wild-type, 55% in EGFR-mutant).
  • Median PFS was 6.2 months overall, with 11.1 months in the EGFR-mutant subset.
  • SKB264-II-08 confirmed an ORR of 34% and median PFS of 9.3 months in EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients.
  • Common adverse events included hematologic toxicities; diarrhea and interstitial lung disease were infrequent.
  • In vitro studies indicated EGFR mutation enhances sac-TMT internalization and activity.

Conclusions:

  • Sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT) demonstrates encouraging single-agent activity and manageable safety in advanced NSCLC with EGFR mutations.
  • EGFR mutation status appears to be a significant predictive biomarker for sac-TMT efficacy.
  • Ongoing Phase 3 trials will further validate sac-TMT in treatment-naive and previously treated EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients.

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