ASCO: AbbVie Revamps ADC Portfolio to Replace Chemotherapy

1. ASCO Conference: The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) conference in Chicago marked a return to its pre-pandemic form, with a focus on replacing chemotherapy with novel approaches like antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs).
2. AbbVie's ADC Portfolio: AbbVie is rebuilding its ADC portfolio after the Rova-T flop, with a focus on next-generation ADCs. The company presented primary results from a phase 2 study of telisotuzumab vedotin (Teliso-V) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at ASCO.
3. Teliso-V Study Results: The phase 2 study showed an overall response rate (ORR) of 28.6% in patients with previously treated c-Met–overexpressing non-squamous EGFR wildtype advanced NSCLC, with higher ORR in patients with high c-Met expression.
4. Industry Trends: Big pharma companies like Pfizer and Takeda are prioritizing ADCs, small molecules, and bispecific antibodies, avoiding niche areas like radioligands and autologous cell therapy due to cost and complexity concerns.
5. Future of Cancer Treatment: The trend suggests a shift towards replacing chemotherapy with ADCs and other novel approaches, with companies aiming to develop therapies that do not include chemotherapy.