2025’s American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting in Chicago once again delivered a wealth of clinical data, providing exciting insights into the groundbreaking future of cancer treatment. As the show closed out, we checked in with our associates to see what they thought were the biggest news and trends of the show.
An anxious undercurrent around research
The optimism surrounding scientific advancements has been understandably tempered by worries around the larger state of clinical research and healthcare funding. Academics are expressing alarm over potential substantial cuts in funding from the National Institutes of Health, which could cripple vital research. Executives at major pharmaceutical firms are eyeing the possible impact of tariffs and the Trump administration's push for "most-favored nation" pricing, fearing disruption to drug development and accessibility. Compounding these concerns are anxieties about how new restrictions on immigration might hurt the scientific workforce, impacting both industry and academic research. ASCO's leadership has been vocal in advocating for robust federal cancer research funding, emphasizing its critical role in driving life-saving breakthroughs.
Medable launches long-term follow-up model for CGT trials
Medable has launched our digital-first long-term follow-up (LTFU) model intended for cell and gene therapy (CGT) trials, aiming to minimise the load on sites and subjects.
The platform improves scientific integrity, enabling data collection throughout the 15-year monitoring period required by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for some CGTs. These include therapies employing genome-editing methods such as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas9.
Extended monitoring is crucial for detecting delayed adverse events and assessing the long-term efficacy and impact of therapies on subjects.
The traditional LTFU model has been challenging due to logistical and financial burdens, leading to low patient participation and high dropout rates.
Medable’s LTFU model provides remote and hybrid patient communications, allowing for in-person, virtual, or blended follow-up methods. It also features workflow integration and data continuity, facilitating a smooth transition from interventional trials to long-term observational follow-up periods. You can learn more about it here.
Good news from groundbreaking studies
Despite the headwinds, the sheer volume of novel therapies and studies presented at ASCO 2025 offers genuine excitement and hope. The meeting is a testament to the relentless pursuit of more effective treatments, with several highlights poised to reshape clinical practice:
Breast cancer:
- Enhertu's continued reign: The antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) Enhertu from Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca is solidifying its position. New findings were presented that could establish it as a preferred, first-line treatment for HER-2 positive metastatic breast cancer, building on its rapid adoption as a standard across various stages of the disease.
- Trodelvy's Promise in triple-negative: A combination of Gilead Sciences' ADC Trodelvy with Merck’s Keytruda immunotherapy demonstrated a reduced risk of tumor progression in triple-negative breast cancer compared to Keytruda plus chemotherapy. Physicians are keenly awaiting the full data on Saturday, anticipating a potential practice-changing impact for this aggressive cancer type.
- AstraZeneca's plenary power: AstraZeneca continued its impressive streak of high-profile plenary session presentations. Data from the MATTERHORN study showed its PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor Imfinzi, combined with chemotherapy, prolonged event-free survival in early-stage gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancers. Additionally, results from SERENA-6 on its selective estrogen receptor degrader camizestrant in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer were highlighted, with updated findings suggesting camizestrant could significantly reduce the risk of progression or death.
Colon cancer:
- Pfizer's Braftovi: An "Unprecedented" Survival Benefit: Last December, Pfizer secured an FDA accelerated approval for Braftovi in a genetically defined form of colon cancer. At ASCO, the company confirmed Braftovi's profound benefit. In combination with other medicines, the drug halved the risk of tumor progression and doubled overall survival for patients with newly diagnosed colon cancer harboring the aggressive BRAF 600E mutation (found in 8-12% of cases). With a median overall survival of 30.3 months versus 15.1 months for the control group, Braftovi is now considered the new standard of care for this patient population.
Lung cancer and multiple myeloma:
- Pfizer's strategic acquisition and early lung cancer data: Pfizer's $1.25 billion acquisition of an experimental PD1-VEGF antibody from Chinese drugmaker 3SBio indicates a strong interest in these dual-acting cancer drugs. Early lung cancer data for this agent were presented during a poster session, drawing significant attention from analysts and investors.
- Patritumab deruxtecan (HER3-DXd) in NSCLC: The Phase 3 HERTHENA-Lung02 trial showcased patritumab deruxtecan, an antibody-drug conjugate, as a promising treatment for EGFR-mutated advanced non-small cell lung cancer after third-generation TKI failure. It demonstrated improved progression-free survival, a higher objective response rate, and extended intracranial progression-free survival, making it an agent to watch closely.
- Adagrasib + Pembrolizumab for KRASG12C-mutated NSCLC: The Phase 2 portion of the KRYSTAL-7 study explored the potent KRAS inhibitor adagrasib in combination with pembrolizumab for KRASG12C-mutated NSCLC. The combination showed encouraging activity, with an overall response rate of 44% across all PD-L1 expression levels, and improved progression-free and overall survival, especially in patients with higher PD-L1 expression.
- DVRd and transplant-ineligible multiple myeloma: The CEPHEUS trial demonstrated that the quadruplet therapy DVRd (daratumumab, bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone) achieved significantly higher minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity rates (around 60%) in transplant-ineligible multiple myeloma patients compared to previous regimens. This heightened MRD negativity is a crucial step towards improved survival outcomes, leading experts to advocate for quadruplet induction as a preferred approach for fit and intermediate-fit TIE patients. The success of DVRd fuels the belief that future advancements will enable fixed-duration treatments for multiple myeloma, moving away from continuous therapy, particularly for patients achieving sustained MRD negativity.
Medable unveils how organizations can better use digital tools to accelerate oncology research
Oncology research has been on a 20-year rise and is showing no signs of slowing down anytime in the future. Consider this, between 2000 and 2021, the amount of drugs targeting cancer quadrupled. In 2023, a separate research report found that over 2,000 new oncology clinical trials were launched just that year, and that global spending on cancer medicines “is projected to reach $409 billion by 2028.” Finally, as of May 2025, a search of ClinicalTrials.gov yielded over 39,500 studies indexed under terms including “neoplasm,” “cancer,” and “tumor,” encompassing diverse phases and global locations..
As these trials continue to increase, the traditional models of clinical research are increasingly challenged. Simultaneously, digital transformation has become the new normal in the clinical research landscape.
In their latest whitepaper, Medable SMES show how digital tools ease oncology research for all stakeholders while accelerating the pace of research. You can read it here.
What’s next for oncology research:
As ASCO 2025 draws to a close, the oncology community is left to process a wealth of information. The overarching message is clear: the pace of innovation in cancer treatment is accelerating, offering unprecedented hope to patients.
However, the critical backdrop of funding, policy, and workforce issues remains a pressing concern that demands continued attention and advocacy to ensure these scientific breakthroughs can reach all who need them.
