The impressive results of an international clinical trial are causing enthusiasm in the medical community, as they show that a "smart" anti-cancer injectable can, in certain patients, lead to the complete disappearance of tumors. Doctors are reporting "unprecedentedly strong responses" in patients whose disease had become resistant to both chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
International study in 11 countries
In a multinational trial conducted across 11 countries, the drug was administered to patients with advanced or recurrent cancer, for whom previous treatments had failed. The injectable, called amivantamab, caused tumor shrinkage in more than a third of the participants, with results becoming visible within a few weeks. In 15 patients, doctors observed the complete disappearance of the tumors.
"Unprecedented results" say the experts
Professor Kevin Harrington, an expert in biological cancer therapies at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London, stated that "these are unprecedentedly strong responses in patients whose disease has become resistant to both chemotherapy and immunotherapy." He added: "For this group of patients, therapeutic options are extremely limited, so this level of benefit is impressive." He also noted that the treatment "has the potential to benefit thousands of patients every year."
Results presented at ASCO
The findings are set to be presented in Chicago at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the largest cancer conference in the world. The trial involved 102 patients with head and neck cancer, one of the most common forms of cancer internationally. In 43 of them, shrinkage or complete regression of tumors was observed. Of these, 28 patients showed significant shrinkage, and 15 patients experienced the complete disappearance of tumors. Researchers noted that similar results have been recorded in patients with lung cancer.
How the “smart” injectable works
Amivantamab, developed by Johnson & Johnson, is already being tested in approximately 60 clinical studies for various forms of cancer, mainly lung, but also colon, brain, and stomach. The treatment acts via a triple mechanism: it blocks the EGFR receptor, which contributes to tumor growth; it inhibits the MET pathway, through which cancer cells "escape" treatments; and it activates the immune system to attack the tumor.
The patient experience
One of the first patients to participate in the study was 56-year-old Carl Walsh, who was diagnosed with tongue cancer in May 2024 and joined the OrigAMI-4 trial at the Royal Marsden in July 2025. As he reported, "Initially, I received chemotherapy and immunotherapy, which unfortunately had no effect. Then I entered the clinical trial. I am now in the 17th cycle of treatment, and the progress is very good." Describing his daily life before the treatment, he mentioned severe difficulties in eating and speaking, which gradually receded after the start of the therapy.
Fewer side effects – Easier administration
Unlike many anti-cancer therapies, amivantamab is administered via a subcutaneous injection rather than intravenously, which reduces treatment time and facilitates application in outpatient settings. Side effects were mainly mild to moderate, and fewer than 1 in 10 patients discontinued the treatment.
"Significant step forward"
Kristian Helin, chief executive of the ICR, emphasized that "the study shows how the development of new treatments through rigorous research can lead to substantial advances, even for patients with limited options." He added that the results "represent a significant step forward" for a particularly difficult category of cancers.
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