Agenus has unveiled encouraging updated survival data for its innovative immunotherapy combination of botensilimab and balstilimab in treating colorectal cancer patients. The results, presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium (ASCO-GI) from January 23-25, showcase promising efficacy across multiple treatment settings.
Strong Clinical Response Rates
The combination therapy demonstrated remarkable efficacy in the NEST clinical program, achieving a pathologic response rate of 65% across all patients. More notably, the treatment yielded a pathologic complete response rate of 38%, indicating complete elimination of detectable cancer in these cases.
Impressive Survival Metrics
Perhaps most striking are the survival outcomes from both NEST-1 and NEST-2 studies. With a median follow-up period of 18 months in NEST-1 and 9 months in NEST-2, all patients remained alive and showed no disease progression. These results are particularly significant given the typically challenging prognosis for colorectal cancer patients.
Safety Profile and Adverse Events
The safety analysis revealed a dose-dependent increase in adverse events in NEST-2 compared to NEST-1. However, the only Grade 3 adverse events observed were cases of colitis, a known side effect of the bot/bal combination. This suggests a manageable safety profile that aligns with previous observations.
Treatment Applications
The bot/bal combination is being evaluated across various treatment lines of colon and colorectal cancers, including:
- Neoadjuvant setting
- First-line treatment
- Second-line treatment
- Third-line and beyond for metastatic disease
These comprehensive data presentations at ASCO-GI reflect the potential versatility of the combination therapy across different stages of colorectal cancer treatment. While H.C. Wainwright maintains a Neutral rating on Agenus shares, the clinical results suggest promising therapeutic potential for patients with colorectal cancer.
