Akeso Inc. announced positive overall survival results from its Phase III HARMONi-2 trial for ivonescimab. Researchers presented the data at the World Conference on Lung Cancer.
Ivonescimab demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful survival benefit compared to Merck's Keytruda. The study evaluated the drug as a first-line treatment for patients with PD-L1 positive non-small cell lung cancer.
Keytruda currently serves as the dominant standard-of-care in this multi-billion dollar market. This head-to-head comparison suggests the novel PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody could become a new primary treatment option for a large patient population.
Summit Therapeutics holds the rights to ivonescimab in major markets outside of China. This development marks a significant milestone for Akeso’s U.S. partner.