ADCs, Bispecifics, and Kinase Inhibitors Dominate ESMO 2025 with Promising Cancer Treatment Advancements

The 2025 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) congress concluded on Tuesday, showcasing groundbreaking developments in cancer treatment. Major pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer, Merck, AstraZeneca, and Bristol Myers Squibb, presented compelling data on antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), bispecific antibodies, and kinase inhibitors, demonstrating significant advancements in efficacy and safety across various cancer types.

ADCs Show Impressive Results in Multiple Cancers

Antibody-drug conjugates emerged as a dominant theme at ESMO 2025, with several companies reporting promising outcomes. Pfizer and Merck's collaboration on combining the ADC Padcev with the PD-1 inhibitor Keytruda yielded impressive results in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). Interim data from the Phase III EV-303/KEYNOTE-905 trial revealed a 60% reduction in the risk of tumor recurrence, progression, or death in cisplatin-ineligible patients, along with a statistically significant 50% improvement in overall survival compared to surgery alone.

AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo also made waves with their ADC portfolio. Their TROP2-targeting ADC, Datroway, demonstrated a significant 43% progression-free survival (PFS) improvement in patients with locally recurrent or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. Additionally, their HER2-targeting ADC, Enhertu, showed a 53% decrease in the likelihood of death or recurrent invasive disease in HER2-positive early breast cancer patients with residual invasive disease, outperforming Roche's Kadcyla.

Bispecific Antibodies and Kinase Inhibitors Show Promise

Akeso and Summit Therapeutics presented highly anticipated data on their PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody, ivonescimab, for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The Phase III HARMONi-6 study demonstrated a 40% PFS advantage for ivonescimab plus chemotherapy compared to BeOne's PD-1 inhibitor Tevimbra with chemotherapy. Summit Therapeutics plans to file for regulatory approval by year-end, targeting second-line EGFR-mutated NSCLC.

In the kinase inhibitor arena, Boehringer Ingelheim's zongertinib and Bayer's sevabertinib showed encouraging results for HER2-mutant advanced NSCLC. Zongertinib achieved a 77% objective response rate and 96% disease control rate in the Phase Ib Beamion LUNG-1 study. Sevabertinib demonstrated varying response rates depending on previous treatment history, with up to 71% of treatment-naive patients responding to the agent.

Emerging Therapies Target Diverse Cancer Types

Beyond lung cancer, the congress highlighted advancements in treating other cancer types. Exelixis presented data on zanzalintinib for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), reporting a median overall survival of 10.9 months compared to 9.4 months for Bayer's Stivarga. With 12- and 24-month overall survival estimates of 46% and 20% respectively, analysts suggest zanzalintinib may set a new survival benchmark in third-line or later mCRC treatment.

As the pharmaceutical industry continues to innovate, these developments at ESMO 2025 underscore the potential for novel cancer modalities to significantly improve patient outcomes across various cancer types. The focus on ADCs, bispecific antibodies, and kinase inhibitors reflects a growing trend towards more targeted and effective cancer therapies, promising a new era in oncology treatment.