On July 24, 2025 Novocure (NASDAQ: NVCR) reported financial results for the second quarter that ended June 30, 2025 (Press release, NovoCure, JUL 24, 2025, View Source [SID1234654517]). Novocure is a global oncology company working to extend survival in some of the most aggressive forms of cancer by developing and commercializing its innovative therapy, Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

"With the first half of 2025 complete, I am pleased to report continued progress towards our clinical, regulatory and commercial milestones. In Q2, we grew our glioblastoma and non-small cell lung cancer businesses and advanced our efforts to bring Tumor Treating Fields therapy to new patient populations," said Ashley Cordova, CEO, Novocure. "With one launch ongoing and two more on the horizon, we are well-positioned in both the near and long term. This is a pivotal period for Novocure."

Financial updates for the second quarter ended June 30, 2025:

Total net revenues for the quarter were $158.8 million, an increase of 6% compared to the same period in 2024. This increase is primarily driven by active patient growth across our major markets.
The U.S., Germany, France and Japan contributed $94.3 million, $19.1 million, $18.4 million and $9.5 million, respectively, with other active markets contributing $13.0 million.
Revenue in Greater China from Novocure’s partnership with Zai Lab totaled $4.6 million.
Recognized revenue from Optune Lua in the quarter was $2.4 million, including $1.1 million from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and $1.3 million from malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM).
Gross margin for the quarter was 74% compared to 77% in the prior year. The reduction of gross margin was primarily driven by the roll out of our Head Flexible Electrode (HFE) transducer array for use with Optune Gio, the NSCLC launch where we are treating on-label patients at risk prior to establishing broad reimbursement, and increased tariffs.
Research, development and clinical studies expenses for the quarter were $55.8 million, an increase of 2% from the same period in 2024. This was primarily driven by increased direct clinical trial expenses related to the ramp of the LUNAR-2 and KEYNOTE D58 trials.
Sales and marketing expenses for the quarter were $57.1 million, an increase of 1% compared to the same period in 2024. This primarily reflects higher costs associated with the expansion of our NSCLC sales force.
General and administrative expenses for the quarter were $44.0 million, an increase of 17% compared to the same period in 2024. This increase was primarily driven by higher share-based compensation expenses and higher personnel and professional service expenses to support the NSCLC launch and general company build-out, particularly on the enterprise technology side.
Net loss for the quarter was $40.1 million with loss per share of $0.36.
Adjusted EBITDA* for the quarter was $(9.9) million.
Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments were $911.5 million as of June 30, 2025.
Operational updates for the second quarter ended June 30, 2025:

As of June 30, 2025, there were 4,331 total active patients on TTFields therapy globally.
Optune Gio
1,598 prescriptions for Optune Gio for the treatment of glioblastoma were received in the quarter, a decrease of 1% from the same period in 2024. The U.S., Germany, France and Japan contributed 963; 199; 179 and 101 prescriptions, respectively, with the remaining 156 prescriptions contributed by other active markets.
As of June 30, 2025, there were 4,194 Optune Gio active patients on therapy, an increase of 7% from the same period in 2024. The U.S., Germany, France and Japan contributed 2,177; 581; 453 and 451 Optune Gio active patients, respectively, with the remaining 532 active patients contributed by other active markets.
Optune Lua
143 total prescriptions for Optune Lua were received in the quarter. 121 Optune Lua prescriptions were received for the treatment of NSCLC and 22 prescriptions were received for the treatment of MPM.
As of June 30, 2025, there were 137 active Optune Lua patients on therapy, including 94 patients treated for metastatic NSCLC and 43 patients treated for MPM.
Quarterly updates and achievements:

In May 2025, Novocure presented the results of the Phase 3 PANOVA-3 clinical trial at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting. PANOVA-3 met its primary endpoint, demonstrating a statistically significant extension in overall survival in patients treated with TTFields therapy together with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel compared to gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel alone. Patients treated with TTFields therapy also exhibited a statistically significant extension in pain-free survival (secondary endpoint) and distant progression-free survival (post hoc analysis). The presentation was selected for inclusion in ‘Best of ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper)’ program and the data were simultaneously published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
In July 2025, Novocure presented final quality of life data from the PANOVA-3 trial at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) (Free ESMO Whitepaper) Gastrointestinal Cancers Congress 2025. Patients treated with TTFields therapy demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful benefit across multiple quality of life measures of pain (secondary endpoint) and significantly delayed the need for opioid pain medication (post hoc analysis) for patients with unresectable, locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma. A significant delay in deterioration across measures of health status was observed, preserving quality of life longer in patients treated with TTFields therapy.
Anticipated clinical and regulatory milestones:

Novocure plans the submission of a Premarket Approval (PMA) application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of unresectable, locally advanced pancreatic cancer based on results of the Phase 3 PANOVA-3 clinical trial in Q3 2025.
Novocure plans the submission of a PMA application to the FDA for the treatment of brain metastases from NSCLC based on results of the Phase 3 METIS clinical trial in H2 2025.
The topline data readout from the Phase 2 PANOVA-4 clinical trial in metastatic pancreatic cancer is expected in H1 2026.
The topline data readout from the Phase 3 TRIDENT clinical trial in newly diagnosed glioblastoma is expected in H1 2026.
Conference call details

Novocure will host a conference call and webcast to discuss second quarter 2025 financial results at 8:00 a.m. EDT today, Thursday, July 24, 2025. To access the conference call by phone, use the following conference call registration link and dial-in details will be provided. To access the webcast, use the following webcast registration link.

The webcast, earnings slides presented during the webcast and the corporate presentation can be accessed live from the Investor Relations page of Novocure’s website, www.novocure.com/investor-relations, and will be available for at least 14 days following the call. Novocure has used, and intends to continue to use, its investor relations website, as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD.

On July 24, 2025 GSK plc (LSE/NYSE: GSK) reported the approval of Blenrep in the European Union (EU) for the treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma in combination with bortezomib plus dexamethasone (BVd) in patients who have received at least one prior therapy, and in combination with pomalidomide plus dexamethasone (BPd) in patients who have received at least one prior therapy including lenalidomide (Press release, GlaxoSmithKline, JUL 24, 2025, View Source [SID1234654502]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

The approval is based on superior efficacy results demonstrated by Blenrep combinations in the pivotal DREAMM-7 and DREAMM-8 phase III trials in relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. These include statistically significant and clinically meaningful progression-free survival (PFS) for Blenrep combinations versus triplet standard of care combinations in both trials and overall survival (OS) versus a daratumumab-based triplet in DREAMM-7.2,3,4 The safety and tolerability profiles of the Blenrep combinations were broadly consistent with the known profiles of the individual agents.2,3

Hesham Abdullah, Senior Vice President, Global Head Oncology, R&D, GSK, said: "Today’s approval of Blenrep combinations is a redefining moment for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma in the EU. Blenrep has the potential to extend remission and survival, with superior efficacy versus standards of care in our DREAMM clinical trial programme and the option to administer in both academic and community-based settings."

More than 50,000 cases of multiple myeloma are diagnosed in Europe each year, accounting for more than a quarter of global incidence.5 Blenrep is the only anti-BCMA (B-cell maturation antigen) antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) approved in multiple myeloma, providing patients with a differentiated mechanism of action to potentially help slow disease progression and extend survival.1 Blenrep combinations can be administered to a range of patient types across oncology treatment settings, enabling broad accessibility of an anti-BCMA therapy.

María-Victoria Mateos, MD, PhD, Head of Myeloma and Clinical Trials Unit, Haematology Department and Professor of Medicine at the University of Salamanca, Spain, and DREAMM-7 principal investigator, said: "With the approval of Blenrep combinations in the EU, we now have additional tools in our efforts to keep patients in remission longer, maintain quality of life and extend survival. The robust efficacy supported by the DREAMM-7 and DREAMM-8 trials, together with manageable outpatient administration in academic and community settings, positions Blenrep combinations as a fundamentally differentiated treatment approach for multiple myeloma patients starting from first relapse."

Both DREAMM-7 and DREAMM-8 showed statistically significant and clinically meaningful PFS improvements for the Blenrep combinations compared to standard of care triplet combinations in the second line or later treatment of multiple myeloma.2,3 In DREAMM-7, the Blenrep combination (n=243) nearly tripled median PFS versus the daratumumab-based comparator (n=251) (36.6 months versus 13.4 months, respectively (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.41 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.31-0.53], p-value<0.00001).2 DREAMM-7 also met the key secondary endpoint of OS, showing a statistically significant and clinically meaningful 42% reduction in the risk of death at a median follow-up of 39.4 months favouring the Blenrep combination versus the daratumumab-based comparator (HR: 0.58; 95% CI: 0.43-0.79; p=0.00023). The median OS was not reached in either arm of the study. The three-year OS rate was 74% in the Blenrep combination arm and 60% in the daratumumab combination arm.4 In DREAMM-8, at a median follow-up of 21.8 months, the median PFS was not yet reached (95% CI: 20.6-not yet reached [NR]) with the Blenrep combination compared to 12.7 months in the bortezomib combination (95% CI: 9.1-18.5) at the time of primary analysis.3

Blenrep combinations consistently benefited a broad range of patients, including those with poor prognostic features or outcomes, such as high-risk cytogenetics or those refractory to lenalidomide. Both trials also showed clinically meaningful improvements across all other secondary efficacy endpoints, including deeper and more durable responses versus the respective comparators.2,3

DREAMM-7 and DREAMM-8 showed that eye-related side effects associated with Blenrep can be managed and reversed with appropriate dose modifications and follow-up. This allowed patients to maintain benefit and resulted in low rates of discontinuation due to eye-related side effects (≤9%) in both trials.2,3 The most commonly reported non-ocular adverse events (>30% of participants) in the Blenrep combination arm were thrombocytopenia (87%) and diarrhoea (32%) in DREAMM-7, and neutropenia (63%), thrombocytopenia (55%) and COVID-19 (37%) in DREAMM-8.2,3

Blenrep combinations are also approved in relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma in the UK6 and Japan7 as well as other markets, including Canada and Switzerland (based on the results of DREAMM-8). Applications are currently under review in all major markets globally, including the US8 and China9 (based on the results of DREAMM-7, with Breakthrough Therapy Designation for the combination and priority review for the application).

About multiple myeloma
Multiple myeloma is the third most common blood cancer globally and is generally considered treatable but not curable.10,11 There are approximately more than 180,000 new cases of multiple myeloma diagnosed globally each year.5 Research into new therapies is needed as multiple myeloma commonly becomes refractory to available treatments.1 Many patients with multiple myeloma are treated in a community cancer setting, leaving an urgent need for new, effective therapies with manageable side effects that can be administered outside of an academic centre.12,13

About Blenrep
Blenrep is an ADC comprising a humanised BCMA monoclonal antibody conjugated to the cytotoxic agent auristatin F via a non-cleavable linker. The drug linker technology is licensed from Seagen Inc.; the monoclonal antibody is produced using POTELLIGENT Technology licensed from BioWa Inc., a member of the Kyowa Kirin Group.

Indication
In the EU, Blenrep is indicated in adults for the treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma:

in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone in patients who have received at least one prior therapy; and
in combination with pomalidomide and dexamethasone in patients who have received at least one prior therapy including lenalidomide.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR BLENREP
Refer to the Blenrep EMA Reference Information14 which will soon be available for a full list of adverse events and the complete important safety information in the EU.

About DREAMM-7
DREAMM-7 is a multicentre, open-label, randomised phase III clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of belantamab mafodotin combined with bortezomib plus dexamethasone (BVd) compared to daratumumab combined with bortezomib plus dexamethasone (DVd) in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who previously were treated with at least one prior line of multiple myeloma therapy, with documented disease progression during or after their most recent therapy. The trial enrolled 494 participants who were randomised 1:1 to receive either BVd or DVd. Belantamab mafodotin was administered at a dose of 2.5mg/kg intravenously every three weeks in combination for the first eight cycles and then continued as a single agent. The primary endpoint was PFS as per an independent review committee, with secondary endpoints including OS, duration of response (DOR), and minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity rate as assessed by next-generation sequencing. Other secondary endpoints include overall response rate (ORR), safety, and patient reported and quality of life outcomes.

PFS results were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Plenary Series in February 2024 and published in the New England Journal of Medicine. OS results were presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting in December 2024.2,4

About DREAMM-8
DREAMM-8 is a multicentre, open-label, randomised phase III clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of belantamab mafodotin in combination with pomalidomide plus dexamethasone (BPd) compared to bortezomib and pomalidomide plus dexamethasone (PVd) in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma previously treated with at least one prior line of multiple myeloma therapy, including a lenalidomide-containing regimen, and who have documented disease progression during or after their most recent therapy. The trial included 302 participants who were randomised 1:1 to receive either BPd or PVd. Compared to the patient population studied in the DREAMM-7 trial, patients in DREAMM-8 were more heavily pre-treated in that all had prior exposure to lenalidomide, 78% were refractory to lenalidomide, 25% had prior daratumumab exposure and of those most were daratumumab refractory. Belantamab mafodotin was administered at a dose of 2.5mg/kg intravenously for the first cycle and then 1.9mg/kg intravenously every four weeks. The primary endpoint was PFS as per an independent review committee, with key secondary endpoints including OS and MRD negativity rate as assessed by next-generation sequencing. Other secondary endpoints include ORR, DOR, safety, and patient reported and quality of life outcomes.

Results were first presented at the 2024 ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting and published in the New England Journal of Medicine.3 Updated PFS results were presented at the European Hematology Association (EHA) (Free EHA Whitepaper) Congress in June 2025.

On July 24, 2025 Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) reported the completion of a global, ex-China, licensing agreement with 3SBio, Inc. (01530.HK) granting Pfizer exclusive rights for the development, manufacturing and commercialization of 3SBio’s SSGJ-707, a bispecific antibody targeting PD-1 and VEGF developed using 3SBio’s proprietary CLF2 platform (Press release, Pfizer, JUL 24, 2025, View Source [SID1234654518]). This agreement solidifies Pfizer at the forefront of innovative cancer research and further enhances the company’s robust oncology pipeline.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

"We are excited to contribute our significant expertise and resources to advance rapidly the development of the SSGJ-707 program including novel combination strategies across a number of our major tumor areas of focus," said Chris Boshoff, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer and President, Research & Development, Pfizer. "This is an important candidate that combines two key targets in a promising class of medicines, complementing our antibody-drug conjugate portfolio and further demonstrates our commitment to advancing pioneering science to deliver transformative cancer medicines and new hope to people living with cancer."

SSGJ-707 is currently undergoing several clinical trials in China for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), metastatic colorectal cancer, and gynecological tumors. Positive interim Phase 2 results evaluating the safety and efficacy of SSGJ-707 as monotherapy in patients with advanced NSCLC were recently presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting. Pfizer plans to manufacture drug substance for SSGJ-707 in Sanford, North Carolina, and drug product in McPherson, Kansas. The clinical development plan for SSGJ-707 moving forward will include trial sites across the U.S. and rest of world with priority to the Phase 3 global development plan for NSCLC and other solid tumors. The first Phase 3 global studies will initiate enrollment in the U.S.

Under the terms of the agreement, 3SBio will receive a payment of $1.25 billion. Pfizer will also make a $100 million equity investment in 3SBio. Additionally, the agreement provides Pfizer the option to extend the license to include exclusive development and commercialization rights to SSGJ-707 in China. In exchange for the exclusive rights in China, Pfizer will pay 3SBio up to $150 million in option payments.

On July 24, 2025 Labcorp (NYSE: LH), a global leader of innovative and comprehensive laboratory services, reported results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2025 and raised full-year guidance (Press release, LabCorp, JUL 24, 2025, View Source [SID1234654503]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

"Labcorp had a very strong second quarter, delivering double-digit topline growth, while expanding margins across both segments," said Adam Schechter, chairman and CEO of Labcorp. "We brought innovative tests to market, and applied our leadership in science and technology to drive growth, enhance the customer experience and improve our operations.  We remain committed to delivering sustained value to our customers, employees and shareholders as we execute on our long-term strategy. Based upon our performance in the first half and our momentum going into the second half of the year, we’re raising our guidance."

In the second quarter, Labcorp advanced its position as a partner of choice for hospitals, health systems and regional/local laboratories:

Announced an agreement to acquire select assets of Incyte Diagnostics’ clinical and anatomic pathology testing businesses in the Pacific Northwest.
Continued to progress the acquisition of select oncology and clinical testing assets from BioReference Health.
Subsequent to quarter end, Labcorp announced an agreement to acquire select assets of the outreach business from Community Health Systems across 13 states.
Labcorp also continued to incorporate the power of science, innovation and technology across the organization during or subsequent to the quarter:

Expanded its oncology portfolio with key launches including Labcorp Plasma Detect, a liquid biopsy test that assesses colon cancer recurrence risk and PGDx elio plasma focus Dx, the first-and-only FDA-authorized pan-solid tumor liquid biopsy test for targeted treatment guidance.
Continued to advance its leading position in Alzheimer’s disease, and plans in the coming weeks to offer Fujirebio FDA-cleared biomarker test that aids in diagnosing the disease.
Expanded its consumer offerings by launching several consumer-initiated tests through Labcorp OnDemand, including tests that measure an individual’s cortisol and leptin levels, and introducing a new and improved Ovia app, providing women with a single platform to support their health journey.
Introduced Labcorp Whole Health Solutions for functional medicine, integrative medicine and primary care practices. The solution offers specialized test panels and a test menu of more than 1,000 scientifically backed biomarkers.
Added digital pathology capabilities in Central Labs, including advanced image scanning to preserve critical sample data and AI-powered solutions to provide analysis on large datasets instantly.
On July 10, 2025, the company announced a quarterly cash dividend of $0.72 per share of common stock, payable on September 11, 2025, to stockholders of record at the close of business on August 28, 2025. In the quarter, Labcorp repurchased $200 million of common stock.

Additionally, Labcorp raised 2025 guidance for enterprise revenue, adjusted EPS and free cash flow primarily driven by currency, as well as the underlying strength of its businesses.

On July 24, 2025 Revolution Medicines, Inc. (Nasdaq: RVMD), a late-stage clinical oncology company developing targeted therapies for patients with RAS-addicted cancers, reported the publication of a peer-reviewed research paper in Science (Press release, Revolution Medicines, JUL 24, 2025, View Source [SID1234654504]). The scientific paper details the discovery and development of zoldonrasib (RMC-9805), a RAS(ON) G12D-selective covalent inhibitor.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Oncogenic RAS mutations are observed in approximately 92% of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), 50% of colorectal cancer, and 30% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cases. RAS G12D, an oncogenic variant of RAS that contains an aspartic acid in place of glycine at amino acid 12, is one of the most common RAS mutations in human solid tumors. Historically, it has been particularly challenging to target aspartic acid residues with covalent inhibitors. ​This publication details the novel mechanism of zoldonrasib, a member of the differentiated class of targeted protein binders called tri-complex inhibitors. This natural product-like compound successfully overcomes the challenge of engaging aspartic acid residues by leveraging a neomorphic protein-protein interface between the cellular chaperone cyclophilin A and activated RAS, or RAS(ON), to selectively catalyze covalent bond formation with RAS(ON) G12D proteins. Data reported in this paper demonstrate that this activity drives deep and durable tumor regressions in preclinical models of multiple tumor types with KRAS G12D mutations.

"The tri-complex inhibitor modality has proven to be a productive approach to solving the challenge of developing mutant-selective inhibitors for RAS variants beyond the G12C substitution, as demonstrated by zoldonrasib that targets the G12D variant," said Jan Smith, Ph.D., chief scientific officer of Revolution Medicines. "This report demonstrates the novel features of zoldonrasib that enable it to bind to the active or RAS(ON) state, including a highly novel covalent bond formed selectively with the substituted aspartic acid in this oncogenic variant. The preclinical profile combined with recent clinical data presentations provide an encouraging picture of the therapeutic potential for zoldonrasib in cancers caused by RAS G12D and further validate the broad utility of this drug discovery approach."

The full manuscript, titled "A neomorphic protein interface catalyzes covalent inhibition of RAS G12D aspartic acid in tumors," is available online at Science.

Zoldonrasib is currently undergoing evaluation in several clinical trials, including RMC-9805-001 (NCT06040541), a multicenter, open-label, dose escalation and dose-expansion Phase 1 study designed to evaluate zoldonrasib in patients with advanced solid tumors harboring a KRAS G12D mutation. NSCLC results from this study were presented in April 2025 at the American Academy for Cancer Research annual meeting and PDAC results from this study were presented in October 2024 at the EORTC-NCI-AACR (Free EORTC-NCI-AACR Whitepaper) Symposium on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics.