EVOKE-02: Sacituzumab Govitecan Plus Pembrolizumab in Advanced NSCLC

This is a synopsis of a Peer Exchange video series featuring Benjamin P. Levy, MD, of Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins; Solange Peters, MD, PhD, of University Hospital of Lausanne; Joshua K. Sabari, MD, of NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center; Edward B. Garon, MD, MS, of UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center; and Marina Chiara Garassino, MD, of University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Dr Levy notes ADCs [antibody-drug conjugates] are being studied in the first-line after showing promise in later lines of therapy. He asks Dr Garon to discuss data from the phase 2 EVOKE-02 study of sacituzumab govitecan combined with pembrolizumab as initial treatment for patients with metastatic NSCLC [non–small cell lung cancer]. Dr Garon explains the study showed the regimen appears safe, though combining novel agents can risk unforeseen toxicity. Efficacy must be proven superior to available options like chemoimmunotherapy. Dr Sabari agrees it is interesting but questions if it can replace standard pemetrexed-based regimens. Dr Peters is also hesitant to replace pemetrexed, given its proven benefits, but is open to sacituzumab govitecan potentially replacing taxanes like paclitaxel. She notes the EVOKE-01 second-line trial data will also help characterize the utility of this ADC.

In summary, the early stage EVOKE-02 data shows the feasibility of combining the ADC sacituzumab govitecan with pembrolizumab as first-line treatment for NSCLC, but whether efficacy will prove sufficient to change the standard chemotherapy-immunotherapy paradigm remains uncertain pending full results. The experts agreed ADCs are an interesting new approach but voiced some reluctance to omit proven chemotherapies like pemetrexed without compelling data.

*Video synopsis is AI-generated and reviewed by OncLive editorial staff.