Daiichi Sankyo Continues to Transform Standards of Care for Patients with Three Landmark Breast Cancer Trials and Additional Data Across Industry-Leading ADC Portfolio at ESMO

On October 13, 2025 Daiichi Sankyo reported data at ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) will spotlight the company’s advances towards creating new standards of care for patients with breast cancer, including back-to-back presentations during Presidential Symposium I featuring data from the DESTINY-Breast11 (291O) and DESTINY-Breast05 (LBA1) phase 3 trials (Press release, Daiichi Sankyo, OCT 13, 2025, https://daiichisankyo.us/press-releases/-/article/daiichi-sankyo-continues-to-transform-standards-of-care-for-patients-with-three-landmark-breast-cancer-trials-and-additional-data-across-industry-leading-adc-portfolio-at-esmo [SID1234656591]). Results of these two landmark trials will showcase the potential of ENHERTU (trastuzumab deruxtecan) to become a foundational treatment in curative-intent settings of HER2 positive early breast cancer.

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Late-breaking DATROWAY (datopotamab deruxtecan) data from the TROPION-Breast02 phase 3 trial (LBA21), representing the first trial ever to demonstrate a significant improvement in overall survival compared to chemotherapy as first-line treatment for patients with locally recurrent inoperable or metastatic triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) for whom immunotherapy is not an option, will be featured in a proffered paper session.

"Data from these three landmark trials demonstrate how the DXd ADC portfolio of Daiichi Sankyo continues to transform standards of care for patients with breast cancer. The findings from DESTINY-Breast11 and DESTINY-Breast05 highlight the potential of ENHERTU to become a foundational treatment in the curative-intent settings of HER2 positive early breast cancer," said Ken Takeshita, MD, Global Head, R&D, Daiichi Sankyo. "Additionally, the DATROWAY results from TROPION-Breast02 represent the first time ever that an overall survival benefit has been demonstrated in the first-line setting of patients with metastatic triple negative breast cancer for whom immunotherapy is not an option. Couple these impressive results for DATROWAY with previous results seen with ENHERTU in the HER2 positive, HER2 low and HER2 ultralow disease settings, Daiichi Sankyo will now have two medicines with the potential to treat approximately 90 percent of patients with metastatic breast cancer."

Additional breast cancer data at ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) includes a mini oral presentation of data from Arm 7 and Arm 8 of the BEGONIA phase 1/2 trial (555MO) evaluating DATROWAY plus durvalumab in patients with first-line metastatic TNBC. The efficacy and safety of this combination strategy is being further investigated in three phase 3 trials – TROPION-Breast03, TROPION-Breast04 and TROPION-Breast05 – across stages and treatment settings of TNBC.

Trials Supporting Three Recent Breakthrough Therapy Designations Showcased
Data from additional late-stage trials – DESTINY-Breast09, REJOICE-Ovarian01 and IDeate-Lung01 – that supported three recent Breakthrough Therapy Designations (BTD) in the U.S. for ENHERTU, raludotatug deruxtecan (R-DXd) and ifinatamab deruxtecan (I-DXd) will be showcased at ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper).

Two late-breaking proffered paper sessions will highlight the primary analysis from the phase 2 part of the REJOICE-Ovarian01 phase 2/3 trial (LBA42) of raludotatug deruxtecan in patients with previously treated platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, and additional analyses of key subgroups of interest from the DESTINY-Breast09 phase 3 trial (LBA18) evaluating ENHERTU plus pertuzumab versus THP (taxane, trastuzumab, pertuzumab) for the first-line treatment of patients with HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer. Results of DESTINY-Breast09 formed the basis for a supplemental Biologic License Application in the U.S. for ENHERTU, which was recently granted Priority Review under the Real-Time Oncology Review program.

Detailed results highlighting the intracranial activity of ifinatamab deruxtecan from the IDeate-Lung01 phase 2 trial (2760MO) in patients with previously treated extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) and baseline brain metastases will be highlighted during a mini oral session. The primary results of IDeate-Lung01 were presented last month at the 2025 World Conference on Lung Cancer (#WCLC25).

Progress Continues in Multiple Cancers Across the DXd ADC Portfolio of Daiichi Sankyo
Additional mini oral sessions at ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) will feature the first presentation of data from two early phase trials from the DXd ADC portfolio of Daiichi Sankyo. These include preliminary results from the first-in-human phase 1/2 trial of DS-3939 (917O), the sixth DXd ADC in clinical development, in patients with previously treated advanced solid tumors refractory to standard treatment, as well as initial results from a sub-study of the TROPION-PanTumor03 phase 2 trial (3072MO) evaluating DATROWAY plus rilvegostomig, AstraZeneca’s PD-1/TIGIT bispecific antibody, in patients as first-line or second-line locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma.

Final analyses from two trials – DESTINY-CRC02 and DESTINY-PanTumor02 – that supported the tumor agnostic indication of ENHERTU, which is now approved in more than 10 countries/regions worldwide, will be presented. A mini oral session will feature the final analysis from the DESTINY-CRC02 phase 2 trial (737MO) of ENHERTU in patients with previously treated HER2 positive metastatic colorectal cancer while two poster presentations will highlight the final results (957P) and an exploratory biomarker analysis (145P) from part 1 of the DESTINY-PanTumor02 phase 2 trial in patients with previously treated HER2 expressing solid tumors. Additional regulatory submissions seeking a tumor agnostic approval in patients with HER2 positive metastatic solid tumors currently are under review in the EU and Japan.

Further sub-analyses from the DESTINY-Gastric04 phase 3 trial of ENHERTU versus ramucirumab plus paclitaxel in the second-line treatment of patients with HER2 positive metastatic gastric cancer or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma will be presented as a poster presentation (2099P) reporting the concordance of central HER2 testing with local HER2 testing along with additional efficacy and safety analyses. Data from DESTINY-Gastric06, a phase 2 trial in patients from China with HER2 expressing advanced gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma who have received at least two prior regimens including a fluoropyrimidine agent and a platinum agent, will be presented in two poster presentations. The first poster (2105P) will feature an analysis of patients that received prior anti-HER2 treatment other than or in addition to trastuzumab. The second poster (2175P) will report the risk of hepatitis B virus reactivation in patients with past or resolved HBV or inactive chronic HBV infection treated with ENHERTU.

Updates of progress in lung cancer include a mini oral session reporting updated results from a phase 1/2 trial of gocatamig (2758MO), a DLL3 targeting T-cell engager being jointly developed by Merck, in patients with small cell lung cancer and other neuroendocrine cancers, as well as a poster presentation that will highlight the initial safety results from a phase 1b trial of valemetostat (2023P), a dual EZH1 and EZH2 inhibitor, in combination with DATROWAY in patients with previously treated advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Trials-in-Progress Across Daiichi Sankyo’s Oncology Portfolio
Several trials-in-progress poster presentations at ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) further highlight the Daiichi Sankyo R&D strategy of continuing to expand the DXd ADC portfolio to address a broad spectrum of unmet needs for patients with cancer.

A trial-in-progress poster will highlight the design of the DESTINY-Endometrial01 phase 3 trial (1223TiP) evaluating ENHERTU in combination with rilvegostomig or pembrolizumab versus platinum-based chemotherapy (carboplatin and paclitaxel) in combination with pembrolizumab as a first-line therapy in patients with HER2 expressing (IHC 3+/ 2+), mismatch repair proficient (pMMR) primary advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer.

Three phase 2 trials-in-progress will include the HERTHENA-Breast03 trial (463eTiP) evaluating neoadjuvant patritumab deruxtecan (HER3-DXd) plus pembrolizumab before or after pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy in patients with high-risk early-stage TNBC or HR low positive/HER2 negative breast cancer; the REJOICE-GI01 trial (1001TiP) evaluating the efficacy and safety of raludotatug deruxtecan in patients with gastrointestinal cancers, including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma, biliary tract and colorectal cancer; and, the KEYMAKER-U01 sub-studies 01H/01I (2081eTiP) evaluating ifinatamab deruxtecan, raludotatug deruxtecan or docetaxel in patients with stage IV NSCLC.

The design of two additional early phase trials will be shared, including the phase 1/2 trial (2792TiP) evaluating ifinatamab deruxtecan and gocatamig in patients with relapsed/refractory ES-SCLC and a phase 1b trial (977P) of valemetostat in combination with ipilimumab in patients with refractory genitourinary tumors, including prostate cancer, urothelial carcinomas and renal clear cell carcinoma.

Investor Briefing During ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper)
Daiichi Sankyo will hold a virtual conference call for investors on Tuesday, October 21, 2025 from 8:00 to 9:30 am EDT / 9:00 to 10:30 pm JST. Executives from Daiichi Sankyo will provide an overview of the ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) data.

Daiichi Sankyo Oral Presentations at ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper)

Presentation Title

Author

Abstract

Presentation (CEST)

Breast

Trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) vs trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) in patients with high-risk human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2+) primary breast cancer with residual invasive disease after neoadjuvant therapy: interim analysis of DESTINY-Breast05

C. Geyer

LBA1

Presidential Symposium I

Saturday, October 18

4:30 – 6:15 pm

DESTINY-Breast11: neoadjuvant trastuzumab deruxtecan alone (T-DXd) or followed by paclitaxel + trastuzumab + pertuzumab (T-DXd-THP) vs SOC for high-risk HER2+ early breast cancer

N. Harbeck

291O

Presidential Symposium I

Saturday, October 18

4:30 – 6:15 pm

Trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) + pertuzumab vs taxane + trastuzumab + pertuzumab (THP) for patients with HER2+ advanced/metastatic breast cancer: additional analyses of DESTINY-Breast09 in key subgroups of interest

S. Loibl

LBA18

Proffered Paper Session

Sunday, October 19

8:30 – 10:00 am

First-line datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd) vs chemotherapy in patients with locally recurrent inoperable or metastatic triple negative breast cancer for whom immunotherapy was not an option: primary results from the randomized, phase 3 TROPION-Breast02 trial

R. Dent

LBA21

Proffered Paper Session

Sunday, October 19

8:30 – 10:00 am

Datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd) + durvalumab as first-line treatment for unresectable locally advanced/ metastatic triple negative breast cancer: final results from the phase 1b/2 BEGONIA study

P. Schmid

555MO

Mini Oral Session

Monday, October 20

10:15 – 11:45 am

Lung

Intracranial activity of ifinatamab deruxtecan (I-DXd) in patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer and baseline brain metastases: primary analysis of IDeate-Lung01

P. Rocha

2760MO

Mini Oral Session

Saturday, October 18

4:30 – 6:00 pm

Updated results from a phase 1/2 study of gocatamig for small cell lung cancer and other neuroendocrine cancers

H. Beltran

2758MO

Mini Oral Session

Saturday, October 18

4:30 – 6:00 pm

Ovarian

Raludotatug deruxtecan (R-DXd) in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer: primary analysis of the phase 2 dose- optimization part of the REJOICE-Ovarian01 study

I. Ray-Coquard

LBA42

Proffered Paper Session

Sunday, October 19

2:45 – 4:15 pm

Bladder

Datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd) + rilvegostomig in patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer: results from the phase 2 TROPION-PanTumor03 study

S. Rha

3072MO

Mini Oral Session

Friday, October 17

4:00 – 5:30 pm

CRC

Trastuzumab deruxtecan (T‑DXd) in patients with HER2 positive (HER2+) metastatic colorectal cancer: final analysis of DESTINY-CRC02, a randomized, phase 2 trial

K. Raghav

737MO

Mini Oral Session

Sunday, October 19

2:45 – 4:15 pm

PanTumor

DS-3939, a tumor-associated mucin 1 (TA-MUC1)-directed antibody drug conjugate (ADC), in patients with advanced/metastatic solid tumors: initial results from a first-in-human study

M. Patel

917O

Proffered Paper Session

Sunday, October 19

2:45 – 4:20 pm

Daiichi Sankyo Poster Presentations at ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper)

Presentation Title

Author

Abstract

Presentation (CDT)

Breast

Final real-world safety and effectiveness results of REALITY-01 study: trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) in patients received ≥2 prior treatment lines for HER2+ metastatic or unresectable breast cancer

J. Pierga

539P

Poster Session

The effectiveness of post-trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) treatment regimens and the incidence of recurrent interstitial lung disease (ILD) in patients with HER2+ metastatic breast cancer who discontinued T-DXd due to ILD

J. Tsurutani

540P

Poster Session

HERTHENA-Breast03: a phase 2, randomized, open-label study evaluating neoadjuvant patritumab deruxtecan + pembrolizumab before or after pembrolizumab + chemotherapy for early-stage TNBC or HR low+/HER2− breast cancer

M. Danso

463eTiP

ePoster

Lung

Phase 1b study of valemetostat in combination with datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd) in advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer: initial safety results

A. Spira

2023P

Poster Session

A phase 1b/2 study of gocatamig (MK-6070; HPN328) and ifinatamab deruxtecan for relapsed/refractory extensive-stage small cell lung cancer

J. Sun

2792TiP

Poster Session

KEYMAKER-U01 phase 2 substudies 01H/01I: ifinatamab deruxtecan (I-DXd), raludotatug deruxtecan (R-DXd) or docetaxel in stage IV non-small cell lung cancer

E. Nadal

2081eTiP

ePoster

Gastrointestinal

Trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) vs ramucirumab plus paclitaxel in second-line treatment of patients with HER2+ unresectable/metastatic gastric cancer/gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma: additional data from DESTINY-Gastric04

F. Pietrantonio

2099P

Poster Session

Trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) in patients with HER2+ gastric cancer or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma who received prior anti-HER2 treatment other than/in addition to trastuzumab in DESTINY-Gastric06

Z. Peng

2105P

Poster Session

Risk of hepatitis B virus reactivation in patients with past or resolved HBV or inactive chronic HBV infection treated with trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) in the DESTINY-Gastric06

L. Shen

2175P

Poster Session

Raludotatug deruxtecan in participants with gastrointestinal cancers: phase 2 REJOICE-GI01 trial

M. Ueno

1001TiP

Poster Session

Endometrial

A randomized phase 3 study of first-line trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) with rilvegostomig or pembrolizumab in patients with HER2 expressing, mismatch repair-proficient, primary advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer: DESTINY-Endometrial01/GOG-3098/ENGOT-EN24

B. Slomovitz

1223TiP

Poster Session

PanTumor

Trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) for pretreated patients with HER2 expressing solid tumors: DESTINY-PanTumor02 part 1 final analysis

V. Makker

957P

Poster Session

Trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) in pretreated patients with HER2 expressing solid tumors: exploratory biomarker analysis of DESTINY-PanTumor02 part 1

D. Oh

145P

Poster Session

DS3201 (valemetostat), an EZH1/2 inhibitor, with ipilimumab in patients with refractory genitourinary tumors

S. Goswami

977P

Poster Session

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Researchers Discover Possible Cell of Origin for Ewing Sarcoma

On October 13, 2025 Children’s Hospital Los Angeles reported a groundbreaking study led by researchers that offers critical insights into Ewing Sarcoma, a rare and aggressive bone and soft tissue cancer that primarily affects children and adolescents (Press release, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, OCT 13, 2025, View Source [SID1234656607]).

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The study, a close collaboration with the Keck School of Medicine of USC, provides the first in vivo genetic evidence that Ewing sarcoma may originate from neural crest cells—flexible embryonic cells that normally give rise to neurons, glial cells, and pigment cells.

For decades, scientists have been puzzled by two enduring mysteries around Ewing sarcoma. Why does this aggressive bone and soft tissue cancer mainly affect children and adolescents? And why do its tumor cells appear so primitive, showing features of multiple different cell types?

The team showed that a common mutation in this cancer—the EWSR1::FLI1 fusion oncogene—can reprogram neural crest cells into a mesoderm-like state, adopting features of bone- and muscle-forming cells. Results were published in Cell Reports.

"This is an exciting step forward in Ewing sarcoma research," says James Amatruda, MD, PhD, Director of the Cancer and Blood Disease Institute at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and senior author of the study. "By understanding where and how this disease begins, we open the door to developing more effective and less-toxic treatments."

Scientists have known for more than 30 years that the EWSR1::FLI1 fusion is the driver of Ewing sarcoma. But they didn’t know which specific cells it could transform into cancer, and they lacked reliable research models of the disease. Those gaps have stalled progress in finding new and better therapies.

To study this cancer’s earliest steps, Dr. Amatruda’s lab published the first genetic zebrafish model of Ewing sarcoma in 2022. Zebrafish embryos are transparent and develop outside the mother, allowing the team to characterize the earliest stages of Ewing sarcoma and track fluorescently tagged tumor cells in real time.

In this latest study, researchers used the zebrafish model to switch on the EWSR1::FLI1 fusion in different cell types. Most cells died. But neural crest cells were the exception. They not only survived, but they were reprogrammed into a mesoderm-like state, setting the stage for tumor initiation.

The work was the result of a collaboration between Dr. Amatruda’s team at CHLA and the laboratory of Gage Crump, PhD, Professor and Vice Chair of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine at USC. Elena Vasileva, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at CHLA, was the study’s first author.

The team found that the oncogene doesn’t just push cells down the wrong path—it co-opts the same signaling pathways the cells use in normal development. This forces the neural crest cells into an "in-between" state that fuels uncontrolled growth.

"It was remarkable to see how these pre-tumor cells changed their behavior and characteristics, contributing to tumor development later on," Dr. Vasileva says. "Even more surprising was that the reprogrammed cells appeared to hijack normal developmental programs, such as those responsible for limb development."

Because neural crest cells are only present during early development, the findings help explain why Ewing sarcoma affects children and adolescents, but not older adults. The cells’ reprogramming may also account for the puzzling mixed appearance of Ewing sarcoma cells under the microscope.

"The precancer cells seem to be caught at a crossroads of multiple potential cell fate decisions," Dr. Vasileva explains. "By understanding these reprogramming trajectories, we may be able to uncover new vulnerabilities of cancer cells and identify new therapeutic targets."

Next steps for Ewing sarcoma research

By pinpointing a likely cell of origin for Ewing sarcoma, the researchers can now explore new questions: How do these reprogrammed cells fuel tumor growth? What signals do they hijack to spread? And how might those processes be stopped?

The zebrafish model gives the team a powerful tool to study how tumor cells evade the immune system and why they metastasize so aggressively. Researchers are also investigating how these cancer cells interact with their surrounding microenvironment—the network of cells and proteins that tumors hijack to survive.

"The more we understand about how Ewing sarcoma begins, the better models we can build to accurately mimic the disease," Dr. Amatruda says. "The ultimate goal is to find new and less-toxic treatments for this cancer—and improve outcomes for children."

REACtiVe-2 Phase 1 data featuring mitazalimab demonstrate immune activation in metastatic pancreatic cancer – to be presented at ESMO 2025

On October 13, 2025 Alligator Bioscience (Nasdaq Stockholm: ATORX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing tumor-directed immuno-oncology antibody drugs, reported the upcoming presentation of data from the Phase 1 REACtiVe-2 trial (NCT05650918) at the ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) Congress 2025, showcasing the immunologic and clinical effects of mitazalimab in combination with dendritic cell therapy in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer (Press release, Alligator Bioscience, OCT 13, 2025, View Source [SID1234656575]).

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The investigator-sponsored trial, conducted at Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, demonstrated that the combination of mitazalimab and Amphera’s dendritic cell vaccine MesoPher was safe and well-tolerated, with enhanced systemic and local immune responses. Half of the patients achieved stable disease after three administrations, with post-treatment biopsies revealing increased tumor-infiltrating T cells and reduced collagen deposition.

Title: REACtiVe-2: Phase I Evaluation of Dendritic Cell Vaccination and Agonistic CD40 Therapy Following (m)FOLFIRINOX in Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer
Presentation number: 2218P
Date and time: Sunday, 19 October, 12 p.m.-12:45 p.m. CEST.

"These clinical data clearly demonstrate the immune-stimulatory capacity of mitazalimab in patients with pancreatic cancer. They provide important mechanistic support for mitazalimab’s mode of action as a tumor-directed CD40 agonist," said Søren Bregenholt, CEO of Alligator Bioscience. "As we actively pursue out-licensing opportunities, results such as these reinforce mitazalimab’s value proposition in immuno-oncology and its potential in novel combination therapies."

BeOne Medicines’ Sonrotoclax Granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation by U.S. FDA

On October 13, 2025 BeOne Medicines Ltd. (Nasdaq: ONC; HKEX: 06160; SSE: 688235), a global oncology company, reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) for sonrotoclax, a next-generation and potentially best-in-class investigational BCL2 inhibitor, for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) (Press release, BeOne Medicines, OCT 13, 2025, View Source [SID1234656592]). Additionally, the FDA has accepted BeOne’s request for participation in Project Orbis, an initiative that provides a framework for concurrent submission and review of oncology products among participating global health authorities.

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"Breakthrough Therapy Designation is reserved for medicines with the potential to transform outcomes for patients with serious diseases. This recognition affirms the strength of the emerging data for sonrotoclax and its potential to become a new standard of care for people with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma," said Julie Lepin, Senior Vice President, Chief Regulatory Affairs Officer at BeOne. "Additionally, by participating in Project Orbis, we may be able to accelerate access to sonrotoclax, potentially helping patients faster than previously imagined."

The decision by the FDA to grant sonrotoclax BTD and participation in Project Orbis was based on data from the BGB-11417-201 study, a Phase 1/2 study evaluating sonrotoclax in adult patients with R/R MCL, following treatment with a Bruton’s tyrosine kinase inhibitor (BTKi) and anti-CD20 therapy. The recently announced positive topline results for sonrotoclax underscore its potential to deliver deep and durable responses, giving it the potential to be the first and only BCL2 inhibitor approved for use in R/R MCL in the U.S. BeOne plans to present the full data at an upcoming medical meeting. The Phase 3 confirmatory CELESTIAL-RRMCL study (BGB-11417-302; NCT06742996) is underway.

The FDA grants BTD to medicines with early data suggesting they may offer significant advances for patients with serious diseases. Project Orbis, established by the FDA Oncology Center of Excellence in 2019, facilitates collaboration across regulatory bodies on the review of oncology medicines with the goal of making promising cancer therapies available to patients more quickly across participating countries.

This is the first BTD for sonrotoclax and the second for BeOne’s hematology program. The FDA has also granted sonrotoclax Fast Track Designation for MCL and Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM), as well as Orphan Drug Designation for the treatment of adult patients with MCL, WM, multiple myeloma (MM), and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). These designations help reinforce sonrotoclax’s position as the next major advancement in BeOne’s commitment to redefining care in B-cell malignancies.

About Mantle Cell Lymphoma

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a rare subtype of aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL)1 that develops in B-cells located in the mantle zone of the lymph nodes. MCL accounts for approximately 5% of all NHL cases globally2, affecting an estimated 28,000 people3. MCL is often diagnosed at advanced stages4 and nearly all MCL patients will eventually develop refractory or relapsed (R/R) disease.5 The five-year survival rate for MCL is approximately 50%, reflecting the urgent need for new therapeutic options.6

About BGB-11417-201 Study

The BGB-11417-201 (NCT05471843) study is a global, multicenter, single-arm, open-label, Phase 1/2 study, which enrolled 125 adult patients with R/R MCL post-treatment with anti-CD20 therapy and a BTK inhibitor. In Part 1, 22 patients received daily treatment with either 160 mg or 320 mg of sonrotoclax to assess the safety and tolerability of sonrotoclax and identify the recommended dose for Part 2. In Part 2, 103 patients were enrolled to receive the recommended daily dose of sonrotoclax (320 mg), following ramp-up, to assess the efficacy of sonrotoclax. The primary endpoint is overall response rate (ORR), as assessed by an independent review committee (IRC). Secondary endpoints include complete response (CR) rate, duration of response (DOR) and progression-free survival (PFS).

About Sonrotoclax (BGB-11417)

Sonrotoclax is a next-generation and potentially best-in-class investigational inhibitor of B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2), which is one of several proteins that help cancer cells survive. It is part of a group of drugs called BH3 mimetics, which mimic natural cell death signals. Studies in the lab and during early drug development have shown that sonrotoclax is a highly potent and specific inhibitor of BCL2 with a short half-life and no drug accumulation. Sonrotoclax has shown promising clinical activity across a range of B-cell malignancies, and nearly 2,000 patients have been enrolled to date across the broad global development program.

Immutep Announces Successful Completion of FDA Project Optimus Requirements

On October 13, 2025 Immutep Limited (ASX: IMM; NASDAQ: IMMP) ("Immutep" or "the Company"), a late-stage immunotherapy company targeting cancer and autoimmune diseases, reported that positive and straightforward feedback has been received from the US Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") regarding the successful completion of Project Optimus requirements and agreement on 30mg as the optimal biological dose for eftilagimod alfa (efti).

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Immutep’s Chief Development Officer, Christian Mueller, said, "We are very thankful for the FDA’s positive feedback and productive discussions over the past few years. The alignment on efti’s optimal biologic dose has strategic relevance to our efti oncology programs and is a major de-risking event and building block towards future BLA filings. We are excited to successfully conclude this chapter of efti’s clinical development and are intently focused on bringing this novel immunotherapy to market to help address the needs of cancer patients worldwide."

The agreement with the FDA on efti’s optimal biological dosing carries strategic importance in the ongoing and future clinical development of this first-in-class immunotherapy, including the global TACTI-004 (KEYNOTE-F91) Phase III trial evaluating efti in combination with MSD’s (Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA) anti-PD-1 therapy KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab), and chemotherapy as first-line treatment for advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (1L NSCLC), regardless of PD-L1 expression. With the conclusion of Project Optimus, this registrational study is now in process of opening sites in the United States.

About Eftilagimod Alfa (Efti)

Efti is a novel immunotherapy that directly activates antigen-presenting cells or APCs (e.g. dendritic cells, monocytes) via the MHC Class II pathway to fight cancer. As an MHC Class II agonist, its activation of APCs engages the adaptive and innate immune system to initiate a broad anti-cancer immune response. This includes priming and activating cytotoxic T cells as well as generating important co-stimulatory signals & cytokines that further boost the immune system’s ability to combat cancer.

Efti is under evaluation for a variety of solid tumours including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in a pivotal Phase III trial called TACTI-004 (KEYNOTE-F91), as well as head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), soft tissue sarcoma, and breast cancer. Its favourable safety profile enables various combinations like with anti-PD-[L]1 immunotherapy, radiotherapy, and/or chemotherapy. Efti has received Fast Track designation in first line HNSCC and in first line NSCLC from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

(Press release, Immutep, OCT 13, 2025, View Source [SID1234656640])