Seagen Inc.

GSK's Blenrep (belantamab mafodotin) combined with bortezomib plus dexamethasone (BorDex) received Breakthrough Therapy Designation in China for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. The designation is based on the DREAMM-7 trial's interim results showing significant improvements in progression-free survival (PFS) compared to daratumumab plus BorDex. A positive overall survival (OS) trend was observed but not statistically significant at the interim analysis. The trial also showed deeper and more durable responses across secondary endpoints. Multiple myeloma is a growing concern in China with approximately 30,000 new cases annually.

R.A.S., M.S.T., C.Y., R.N., H.S.R., M.D., A.J.C., E.S.-R., J.C.B., C.O., K.K., A.D.E., C.V., N.W., K.S.A., A.S.C., C.F., C.I., A.T., J.T., K.Y., L.H., K.G., F.M.H., T.S., A.L.A., P.B., P.N., G.L.H., W.F.S., J.P., P.P., A.D.M., D.Y., L.J.v.V., N.M.H., L.J.E. report various institutional research funding, advisory roles, consultancy, honoraria, patents, and stock ownership.

GSK's Blenrep receives Breakthrough Therapy Designation in China for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma treatment based on DREAMM-7 trial results, showing significant PFS improvements over standard care.

E.R. received honoraria from Eli Lilly, Novartis, Seagen; travel support from Gilead, Mundipharma, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche; research funding from Gilead, Menarini, MSD. F.A. consulted/advised AstraZeneca, Daiichi–Sankyo, Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, Relay Tx, Roche; received travel support from AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Lilly, Novartis, Roche; research funding from AstraZeneca, Daiichi, Eli Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche.

Nivolumab plus gemcitabine/cisplatin chemotherapy significantly improved response rates, overall survival, and progression-free survival in patients with lymph node–only metastatic urothelial carcinoma, according to a post hoc analysis of the CheckMate 901 trial presented at the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting.

Linker chemistry in antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) plays a crucial role in cancer therapies, determining payload release and efficacy. Despite 11 FDA-approved ADCs and 266 clinical trials, the complexity of linkers remains a challenge, influencing ADC stability, toxicity, and target specificity. Innovations like PEG linkers and click chemistry aim to enhance ADC performance, but the field still lacks definitive rules for optimal linker design.