The biggest cancer conference in Europe heard how Cambridge University Hospitals’ clinicians, patients and sponsors are playing key roles in two multi-centre international studies that could help shape future care.
The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2024 in Barcelona learned about the use of a novel antibody-drug, called Datopotamab deruxtecan, comprising an antibody (datopotamab) and anticancer drug payload (deruxtecan).
It demonstrated encouraging anti-tumour activity in patients with advanced endometrial and ovarian cancer with manageable side effects consistent with other trials of the agent.
The principal investigator at CUH for the Phase II TROPION-PanTumor03 study, sponsored by AstraZeneca, was oncology consultant and an expert in ovarian and endometrial cancer therapeutics, Dr Joo Ern Ang.
I am proud that the Trust played a key role and was the highest recruiter in the UK to this international trial which assessed the efficacy and tolerability of this novel antibody-drug conjugate. The presented data in ovarian and endometrial cancer patients are very promising.
Dr Joo Ern Ang
Guests learned that Dr Ang is also the principal investigator of an early phase clinical trial, sponsored by Taiho Pharmaceutical, aimed at treating specific types of gynaecological malignancies with an agent called ASTX029. The agent which was discovered by Astex Pharmaceuticals (UK) using its fragment based drug discovery approach, inhibits a protein called ERK1/2, which plays a critical role in tumour progression. CUH had the highest recruitment of patients to the gynaecology cohort within the UK.
The presented data will direct subsequent development of this agent. This trial is part of the personalised treatment approach through precision medicine undertaken at CUH. This aims to optimise clinical outcome by pairing specific tumour biology with the appropriate treatment.
Dr Joo Ern Ang
The positive results from both early phase trials will help with further development work at CUH, which has ambitions to lead innovation in gynaecological care.
The five-day ESMO Congress is described as “a globally influential oncology platform” for clinicians, researchers and others who can attend in person or online.
The idea is to disseminate the latest cutting-edge data, provide high quality education and excellent networking opportunities for oncologists and other stakeholders from all around the world.
The conference follows hot on the heels of two others in recent months in which CUH has played a leading role.