AstraZeneca halts phase 3 lung cancer trial of bispecific antibody volrustomig after it falls short of Keytruda

AstraZeneca stopped its phase 3 trial of the bispecific antibody volrustomig in metastatic non‑small cell lung cancer after interim data suggested the regimen would not meet the study's primary goals.

The trial enrolled 895 patients who received volrustomig plus chemotherapy versus Merck’s Keytruda plus chemotherapy, focusing on individuals with PD‑L1‑low or PD‑L1‑negative tumors.

An Independent Data Monitoring Committee reviewed progression‑free and overall survival outcomes and concluded the volrustomig arm was unlikely to achieve the dual primary endpoints, prompting the company to discontinue the study.

AstraZeneca said it will continue other phase 3 studies of volrustomig in cervical cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, and mesothelioma, but provided no detailed efficacy or safety data from the lung cancer trial.