Summit and Akeso's ivonescimab wins Chinese first-line lung cancer approval, but longer follow-up shows reduced benefit

Summit Therapeutics and Akeso announced that their next‑generation PD‑1xVEGF bispecific antibody, ivonescimab, received regulatory approval in China for first‑line treatment of certain lung cancer subtypes.

The approval targets patients who have not received prior therapy and is based on the drug's initial trial results that demonstrated activity against the disease.

However, the company also released an updated dataset that shows the drug’s benefit diminishes with longer follow‑up, a finding described as an unwelcome surprise and that could affect its market prospects.

Analysts note that while the approval opens a new market entry in China, the reduced efficacy signal may temper enthusiasm among investors and clinicians.