AACR 2025: Promising Results in Cancer Immunotherapy and Targeted Treatments

The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual conference for 2025 has showcased significant advancements in cancer treatment, with several pharmaceutical companies presenting encouraging data from clinical trials. This year's event has highlighted progress in immunotherapy, targeted therapies, and novel approaches to treating various types of cancer.

Immunotherapy Breakthroughs

BriaCell Therapeutics presented positive survival data for their lead immunotherapy candidate, BRIA-IMT, in a Phase III trial for metastatic breast cancer. The study of 62 patients showed a progression-free survival rate of 3.67 months, with promising biomarkers associated with better outcomes. BRIA-IMT, a genetically engineered human breast cancer cell line, is thought to stimulate the body's immune system to combat breast cancer cells.

Marengo Therapeutics reported a 30% objective response rate across all three major subtypes of colorectal cancer with their bispecific T cell activator, invikafusp alfa. The Phase I/II STARt-001 trial focused on patients with antigen-rich solid tumors refractory to PD-1 therapies. The drug demonstrated a disease control rate of 61% and a tumor regression rate of 52% across various tumor types.

Targeted Therapies Show Promise

Artios Pharma's oral ATR inhibitor, ART0380, combined with low-dose irinotecan, elicited a confirmed overall response rate of 37% in patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors. The Phase I/IIa STELLA study focused on patients deficient in the ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) protein, a key marker for replication stress present in up to 25% of high-unmet need solid tumors.

Boehringer Ingelheim's HER2 tyrosine kinase blocker, zongertinib, demonstrated a 71% objective response rate in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with HER2 mutations in the Phase III Beamion LUNG-1 trial. The drug also showed intracranial activity in patients with brain metastases, achieving a 41% response rate in this subgroup.

Combination Therapies and Perioperative Treatments

Agenus presented data from the Phase II NEOASIS trial for their PD-1/CTLA-4 combination therapy, BOT/BAL, in early-stage solid tumors. The treatment showed particularly impressive results in mismatch repair-deficient/microsatellite instability-high tumors, with a 90% pathological response rate and a 70% pathological complete response rate.

Merck's Keytruda demonstrated significant survival benefits in the perioperative setting for head and neck cancer. The Phase III KEYNOTE-689 study showed that Keytruda, as part of a perioperative treatment regimen, improved event-free survival by 27% compared to standard radiotherapy alone.

GSK's PD-1 inhibitor, Jemperli, showed remarkable results in locally advanced, mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR) cancers. In a Phase II study, Jemperli triggered complete tumor clearance in patients across various tumor types, potentially eliminating the need for surgery in some cases.

While these results represent significant progress in cancer treatment, it's important to note that many of these therapies are still in clinical trials and require further study before becoming widely available. The AACR 2025 conference continues to serve as a platform for sharing cutting-edge research and fostering collaboration in the fight against cancer.