How Amivantamab Works Against Cancer
Developed by Johnson & Johnson, the drug amivantamab has proven effective in over 40% of patients suffering from advanced head and neck cancer who had not responded to standard treatments like chemotherapy or immunotherapy. The findings come from a study involving 102 participants and will be presented at the ASCO conference in Chicago. Amivantamab works by blocking the EGFR protein, interrupting the MET signaling pathway, and activating the immune system—enabling it to target tumors that were previously considered untreatable.
Study Results and Key Outcomes
All participants in the trial had late-stage disease. The drug was administered via subcutaneous injection, and fewer than 10% of participants stopped therapy due to side effects. Tumors disappeared entirely in 15 patients, while another 28 saw significant tumor shrinkage. Head and neck cancer ranks as the sixth most common cancer worldwide. The trials were conducted across 11 countries, highlighting the study’s broad international scope.
Amivantamab received approval in the United States and the European Union in 2021 for treating a subtype of lung cancer. Currently, around 60 clinical trials are underway exploring its potential against various other cancers, opening up new treatment possibilities. At the same ASCO congress, researchers are expected to present results for the drug daraxonasib, which extended the lives of patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer to an average of 13.2 months, compared to just 6.6 months for those receiving chemotherapy.
“After 16 years of working with pancreatic cancer patients, I literally broke down in tears at the clinic. This is an incredibly important study for our patients.”
Rachna Shroff, Director of Oncology at the University of Arizona Cancer Center
These findings could dramatically reshape how head and neck cancer is treated, especially for patients who have exhausted all conventional options. The significance of such research extends beyond the potential effectiveness of new drugs—it also offers hope for improving the quality of life for those facing severe forms of the disease. Ongoing investigations into other cancers, such as pancreatic cancer, further reflect the rapid advancement of oncology therapies in modern medicine.