Lung Cancer Therapy Study
Kelun-Biotech Publishes Translational Research on NSCLC Combination Therapy
A new study published in the journal Cancer Cell has given scientists a key reason to combine a powerful new drug with the most common lung cancer treatment. PR Newswire reported that Sichuan Kelun-Biotech Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd. announced the findings, which show why pairing sacituzumab tirumotecan — known as sac-TMT — with osimertinib could stop lung cancer from coming back sooner.
The study focuses on patients with EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer, or NSCLC. EGFR mutations are the most common cancer driver in lung cancer. Osimertinib is the current standard treatment for these patients, but nearly all patients eventually develop resistance. This research may explain how to delay that resistance — and stop it earlier.
EGFR Drugs Accidentally Help the New Treatment Work Better
The core discovery is a biological twist. When osimertinib attacks EGFR-mutant cancer cells, some cells survive by going dormant. Researchers call these
Here is the key finding: osimertinib actually causes these surviving cells to produce more of a protein called TROP2. That is the exact protein that sac-TMT is designed to target. So the standard treatment essentially flags the hiding cells for the new drug to destroy. PR Newswire noted that EGFR mutations also increase the rate at which cancer cells absorb sac-TMT, making the drug's toxic payload more effective at killing them.
Sun Yat-sen Researchers Led the Bench-to-Bedside Discovery
The study was led by Professor Li Zhang and Professor Wenfeng Fang at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. According to PR Newswire, Professor Zhang reported that sac-TMT
Dr. Michael Ge, CEO of Kelun-Biotech, called the publication
Phase III Trial Is Already Enrolling Patients Worldwide
Kelun-Biotech is not waiting for more lab results. PR Newswire confirmed that enrollment is now complete for the Phase III registrational study testing sac-TMT plus osimertinib as a first-line treatment for advanced EGFR-mutant NSCLC. If the trial results match the lab findings, this combination could replace osimertinib alone as the top treatment option for these patients.
The drug already has momentum. The U.S. FDA granted sac-TMT Breakthrough Therapy Designation in December 2024 for pre-treated EGFR-mutant NSCLC. China's drug regulator approved it in March 2025, making it the first TROP2-targeting drug approved for lung cancer. Kelun-Biotech's global partner MSD, known as Merck in the U.S., is running 17 Phase III studies on sac-TMT worldwide under what it calls the TroFuse program.
Rivals and Risks Could Still Slow sac-TMT's Rise
Not everyone is convinced the path forward is smooth. Hematological side effects — including anemia in 77% of patients and low neutrophil counts — remain a concern for clinicians. Osimertinib alone is far better tolerated for long-term daily use. Some doctors worry that adding a cytotoxic ADC could make life harder for patients who are otherwise stable on a single pill.
Competition is also growing. Summit Therapeutics and Akeso are promoting ivonescimab, a bispecific antibody that targets both PD-1 and VEGF, as an alternative that skips cytotoxic side effects altogether. Analysts note that Kelun-Biotech's strategy depends on targeting specific patient groups — like EGFR-mutant patients — rather than the broad NSCLC market. The company is also exploring sac-TMT in perioperative settings, meaning treatment before surgery, which could open yet another front in its fight against lung cancer.
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