A new triple-action cancer jab has shown 'unprecedented' results in an international trial, shrinking or eradicating tumours in patients with advanced head and neck cancer. The injection, called amivantamab, was tested on 102 patients across 11 countries whose disease had become resistant to chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
According to results presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago, tumours shrank in 43 patients, with 15 experiencing complete eradication. Kevin Harrington, professor of biological cancer therapies at the Institute of Cancer Research, London, described the outcomes as 'unprecedentedly strong responses' in a group with extremely limited treatment options.
Amivantamab works by blocking EGFR and MET pathways, which help tumours grow and resist treatment, while also activating the immune system. Unlike many cancer therapies, it is administered as a small injection under the skin every three weeks, making it more convenient than intravenous drips. Side effects were mostly mild to moderate, with fewer than 10% of patients discontinuing treatment.
One patient, Carl Walsh, 56, from Birmingham, joined the trial after standard treatments failed for his tongue cancer. He reported significant improvements in speech and eating, and said his diet returned to normal after six cycles. The trial focused on head and neck cancers not caused by HPV, which are typically harder to treat, making the results particularly significant.
Amivantamab, developed by Johnson & Johnson, is now being evaluated in around 60 clinical trials for various cancers, including lung, colorectal, brain and gastric cancers. Researchers say the treatment could benefit thousands of patients annually.
