Dr. Singhi and Dr. Pellini Unpack IASLC Presidential Symposium Data

Eric Singhi, MD, of University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Bruna Pellini, MD, of the Moffitt Cancer Center, joined Lung Cancers Today live on-site at the IASLC 2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer to discuss key highlights from the meeting’s Presidential Symposiums.

“We had two Presidential Symposiums here at the World Conference on Lung Cancer,” Dr. Singhi said. “Let’s talk about day one… we heard a very exciting study about ivonescimab.”

Dr. Singhi and Dr. Pellini focused on the phase 3 HARMONi-2 study presented by Caicun Zhou, PhD, MD, of the Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, during the first Presidential Symposium of the IASLC 2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer.

The results showed a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) with ivonescimab and pembrolizumab in patients with PD-L1–positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Dr. Singhi asked Dr. Pellini to share her initial thoughts and reaction to the data presented on ivonescimab.

“They compared it to pembrolizumab, that, for 8 years now, hadn’t been beaten by any drug,” Dr. Pellini said. “Clearly we can see a benefit across all subgroups… and there’s an improvement in PFS.”

Dr. Singhi and Dr. Pellini discussed the implications of the data and whether the HARMONi-2 trial could be practice-changing.

“We do have some regulatory barriers. This study will have to be replicated in the US, and I think all of us are very excited to open our sites after seeing the data,” Dr. Pellini said.

They also weighed in on the study design, inclusion criteria, and the use of single-agent pembrolizumab without chemotherapy. Dr. Pellini and Dr. Singhi also discussed the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic considerations, as well as side effects of ivonescimab. Dr. Singhi concluded by reflecting on the data from HARMONi-2 and the discussion at the IASLC 2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer.

“It sounds like we are both very excited about where this drug is going, how it’s going to fit into the treatment landscape, and it was really nice to be here live in San Diego to hear the data, digest it and discuss it with you,” Dr. Singhi concluded.