AbbVie could have the hottest cancer drug launch of 2025 on its hands. That is one takeaway from a recent ZoomRx survey, which found oncologists are more aware of and excited about AbbVie’s telisotuzumab-vedotin (Teliso-V) than any other investigational cancer candidate.
AbbVie shared phase 2 data on Teliso-V, a c-Met-directed antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) late last year. Based on the results, the drugmaker plans to file for accelerated approval in the third quarter with a view to bringing the ADC to market in 2025. Excitement is already building in the oncology community.
ZoomRx found 55% of oncologists are aware of Teliso-V. Almost one-quarter of oncologists named the candidate as one of the three most exciting cancer prospects in development, making it the most widely anticipated program in the survey.
Almost one-third of the oncologists view Teliso-V as a game changer and almost one-quarter said they will prescribe the ADC. Those figures are lower than for some of the other drug candidates, but ZoomRx recommended a cautious reading of those aspects of the survey because of the low base sizes. Overall awareness of the candidates that scored higher on those rankings is relatively low.
ZoomRx surveyed the oncologists from June 6-17. As such, the survey reflects what the physicians learned at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting but not Roche’s bombshell July 4 disclosure about the failure of its anti-TIGIT antibody tiragolumab in NSCLC. Roche subsequently stopped two other studies of the antibody and said it continued the remaining trials because enrollment was at or nearing completion.
The results may have looked different if ZoomRx had polled physicians after July 4. Tiragolumab took second spot on the ranking of the investigational assets with the highest perception scores, reflecting the level of awareness and excitement.
Almost half of respondents were aware of tiragolumab and 20% were excited about the asset, putting it in the top three candidates for both metrics. The belief tiragolumab may have superior efficacy, superior mechanism of action and be a game changer was held by between 43% and 54% of oncologists who were aware of the asset and familiar with its clinical trial data.
Jazz Pharmaceuticals’ zanidatamab, AstraZeneca’s camizestrant and Eli Lilly’s imlunestrant completed the top five. Zanidatamab is a HER2 bispecific antibody. Camizestrant and imlunestrant are both selective estrogen receptor degraders.