ESMO 2023 Highlights: GSK's Jemperli Challenges Merck's Keytruda's in Lung Cancer

The latest clinical trial results presented at the ESMO Congress 2023 have shown significant survival benefits for GSK's Jemperli over Merck's Keytruda in lung cancer treatment. Jemperli exhibited superior results in non-small cell lung cancer treatment. Despite Keytruda's market dominance, these developments spotlight Jemperli's potential in oncology.

GSK's Jemperli (dostarlimab) has shown remarkable results in a lung cancer survival trial, surpassing its competitor, Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2023. The latest findings from the phase 2 PERLA trial, a first-of-its-kind global head-to-head study comparing two PD-1 inhibitors, have revealed a significant advantage for Jemperli. 

Patients treated with Jemperli for nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) demonstrated a 25% reduced risk of death compared to those treated with Keytruda. The median survival for Jemperli patients combined with chemotherapy was 19.4 months, compared to 15.9 months for those treated with Keytruda and chemotherapy. These results build on previous data that showed Jemperli's superior tumor response rate and time to tumor progression.

In an interesting twist, Jemperli, which had previously shown less promising results for PD-L1-negative patients, now exhibits superior overall survival rates across PD-L1 subgroups. For PD-L1-negative patients, Jemperli's median survival rate was 20.8 months compared to Keytruda's 16.1 months. Meanwhile, for PD-L1-positive patients, Jemperli and Keytruda reported survival rates of 18 months and 15.9 months, respectively.

As the pharmaceutical industry keenly watches the progress, GSK has already initiated a phase 3 trial. This trial will combine Jemperli with the chemotherapy drug docetaxel, with or without the experimental TIM-3 inhibitor cobolimab, targeting NSCLC patients who have seen progression after first-line treatment with a PD-1/L1 inhibitor and chemotherapy. Results are anticipated in the latter half of 2024.

Differences in patient follow-up frequency and recruitment criteria may have played a role in these varied outcomes. Notably, however, the FDA has already approved Jemperli as a first-line treatment for mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR) endometrial cancer based on the RUBY trial data.

Financially, Keytruda's dominance in the market is evident with global sales amounting to $20.9 billion in 2022. In comparison, Jemperli, with its limited indications, generated a modest £21 million in sales last year. However, with these new findings, GSK's Jemperli might be poised to challenge the market leader and redefine treatment methods in the realm of oncology.

Jemperli has shown the potential as an essential player in the field of cancer treatment at the ESMO Congress 2023. With continuous advancements in medical research, it is anticipated that these findings will pave the way for improved patient care and more effective treatment options in the future.