A new cancer injection has shown 'unprecedented' results in a global trial, shrinking or eradicating tumours in patients whose disease had become resistant to chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The jab, called amivantamab, was tested on 102 patients with head and neck cancer across 11 countries.
In the trial, tumours shrank or disappeared completely in 43 patients. Of these, 28 saw significant shrinkage and 15 had their tumours eliminated entirely. The drug also showed promising results in lung cancer patients and is now being evaluated in about 60 clinical trials for various cancers.
Professor Kevin Harrington from the Institute of Cancer Research, London, described the responses as 'unprecedentedly strong' for patients with limited treatment options. The injection works by blocking two cancer growth pathways and activating the immune system, offering a triple-action approach.
One patient, Carl Walsh, 56, from Birmingham, joined the trial at the Royal Marsden after standard treatments failed. He reported significant improvements in pain and swelling, and his speech and diet returned to normal after just two cycles of treatment. The jab is given under the skin every three weeks, making it more convenient than intravenous therapies.
Side effects were mostly mild to moderate, with fewer than 10% of patients stopping treatment. The results will be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology conference in Chicago.
