Merus' Petosemtamab Phase 2 Data Selected for Plenary Presentation at AACR-NCI-EORTC Conference
核心洞察
Merus announced that interim data from its phase 2 trial of petosemtamab in metastatic colorectal cancer has been selected for a prestigious plenary session oral presentation at the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics.
The presentation will feature preliminary antitumor activity and safety data from the trial evaluating petosemtamab both as monotherapy in heavily pretreated patients and in combination with standard chemotherapy in first and second-line settings.
Petosemtamab is a novel bispecific antibody targeting EGFR (搜索) and LGR5 (搜索) with three independent mechanisms of action, including EGFR signaling inhibition, enhanced EGFR internalization, and improved immune-mediated cytotoxicity.
Merus N.V. announced that initial interim data from its phase 2 trial evaluating petosemtamab in metastatic colorectal cancer has been selected for a plenary session oral presentation at the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics. The presentation, scheduled for Friday, October 24, represents a significant milestone for the oncology company's lead bispecific antibody candidate.
Phase 2 Trial Data to Be Presented
Dr. Moh'd Khushman from Washington University School of Medicine will present the preliminary antitumor activity and safety data from the ongoing phase 2 trial during the Clinical Trials Plenary Session. The study is evaluating petosemtamab in combination with standard chemotherapy in first-line (1L) and second-line (2L) metastatic colorectal cancer patients, as well as monotherapy in heavily pretreated third-line and beyond (3L+) patients.
The selection for a plenary session presentation indicates the significance of the data, as these sessions typically feature the most impactful clinical trial results at major oncology conferences. The same data will also be available as a poster presentation during the conference.
Novel Bispecific Antibody Mechanism
Petosemtamab, also known as MCLA-158, is a Biclonics® low-fucose human full-length IgG1 antibody that simultaneously targets the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR (搜索)) and the leucine-rich repeat containing G-protein-coupled receptor 5 (LGR5 (搜索)). The drug is designed to exhibit three independent mechanisms of action that distinguish it from conventional EGFR-targeting therapies.
The first mechanism involves inhibition of EGFR (搜索)-dependent signaling pathways that drive cancer cell proliferation. The second mechanism utilizes LGR5 (搜索) binding to promote EGFR internalization and degradation within cancer cells, potentially overcoming resistance mechanisms. The third mechanism enhances antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) and antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP) activity, recruiting the immune system to eliminate cancer cells.
Additional Preclinical Research
Merus will also present preclinical data examining petosemtamab's effects on cancer stem cells, a population of cells believed to contribute to treatment resistance and disease recurrence. This poster presentation will provide insights into the drug's potential to target this challenging cell population that conventional therapies often fail to eliminate.
Conference Details and Data Availability
The AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics will be held in Boston, Massachusetts from October 22-26, 2025. The plenary session presentation is scheduled for Friday, October 24 from 10:00-11:40 a.m. ET, with the poster sessions running from 12:30-4:00 p.m. ET the same day.
Conference abstracts will become available through the conference app on Wednesday, October 22, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. ET. Merus plans to make the full presentations available on its website at the start of each respective session, providing broader access to the clinical data for the investment and medical communities.
About Merus' Platform Technology
Merus specializes in developing full-length human bispecific and trispecific antibody therapeutics through its Multiclonics® platform. These antibodies are manufactured using industry standard processes and have demonstrated several favorable characteristics of conventional human monoclonal antibodies in preclinical and clinical studies, including long half-life and low immunogenicity profiles.