DATROWAY® (datopotamab deruxtecan-dlnk) demonstrated unprecedented median overall survival improvement of five months vs. chemo as 1st-line treatment for patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer for whom immunotherapy was not an option

AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo’s DATROWAY also demonstrated a highly statistically significant and clinically meaningful 43% reduction in patients’ risk of disease progression or death in TROPION-Breast02

DATROWAY is the first and only therapy to significantly improve overall survival vs. chemotherapy in this patient population

WILMINGTON, Del.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Positive results from the TROPION-Breast02 Phase III trial showed DATROWAY^® (datopotamab deruxtecan-dlnk) demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement for the dual primary endpoints of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) compared to investigator’s choice of chemotherapy as 1st-line treatment for patients with locally recurrent inoperable or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) for whom immunotherapy was not an option.

These late-breaking results will be presented today during a Proffered Paper session at the 2025 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress in Berlin, Germany (abstract #LBA21).

DATROWAY demonstrated a 5.0-month improvement in median OS compared to chemotherapy (hazard ratio [HR] 0.79; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.64-0.98; p=0.0291). Median OS was 23.7 months for patients treated with DATROWAY versus 18.7 months for those treated with chemotherapy.

DATROWAY reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 43% compared to chemotherapy (HR 0.57; 95% CI 0.47-0.69; p<0.0001) as assessed by blinded independent central review (BICR). Median PFS was 10.8 months for patients treated with DATROWAY versus 5.6 months for those treated with chemotherapy.

In addition to patients whose tumors did not express PD-L1, TROPION-Breast02 enrolled patients with PD-L1 expressing tumors for whom immunotherapy was not an option due to other factors.

Rebecca Dent, MD, FRCP, Professor and Deputy Chief Executive Officer, National Cancer Centre Singapore, and principal investigator for the trial, said: “In TROPION-Breast02, datopotamab deruxtecan meaningfully extended patients’ lives and nearly doubled their time without disease progression. These are significant outcomes for patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer who are not suitable candidates for immunotherapy, and remarkable results considering the trial included a subset of patients with highly aggressive disease who are often excluded from research in this setting.”

Susan Galbraith, Executive Vice President, Oncology Haematology R&D, AstraZeneca, said: “The TROPION-Breast02 results show for the first time that these triple-negative breast cancer patients may have an alternative to chemotherapy in the 1st-line setting that can both delay the progression of their disease and prolong their lives. For Datroway to have so significantly improved patient outcomes in the 1st-line metastatic setting as monotherapy also gives us great confidence in its potential in combination with IMFINZI^® (durvalumab), and in the early-stage, potentially curative setting where our next studies are ongoing.”

Ken Takeshita, Global Head, R&D, Daiichi Sankyo, said: “Patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer have one of the worst prognoses of any breast cancer subtype, and for those who are not candidates for immunotherapy, chemotherapy has long been the 1st-line standard of care. The TROPION-Breast02 results show Datroway has the potential to replace traditional chemotherapy in this setting and to meaningfully improve survival of patients.”

DATROWAY is a specifically engineered TROP2-directed DXd antibody drug conjugate (ADC) discovered by Daiichi Sankyo and being jointly developed and commercialized by AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo.

Summary of efficacy results

Patients receiving DATROWAY were on treatment more than twice as long as those receiving chemotherapy (median duration of treatment of 8.5 versus 4.1 months) and experienced a lower rate of treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) associated with discontinuation (4% versus 7%). Grade 3 or higher TRAEs occurred in 33% and 29% of patients in the DATROWAY and chemotherapy arms, respectively. The most common Grade 3 or higher TRAEs were neutropenia (3%, 13%), stomatitis (8%, 0%), leukopenia (<1%, 4%), fatigue (3%, 3%), vomiting (1%, <1%), anemia (2%, 3%), alopecia (0%, <1%), peripheral neuropathy (0%, 2%), dry eye (1%, 0%), nausea (<1%, <1%), decreased appetite (<1%, <1%) and constipation (<1%, 0%). There was one Grade 5 interstitial lung disease (ILD) event in the DATROWAY arm adjudicated as drug-related by an independent committee. This event was characterized as Grade 3 pneumonitis and cause of death was attributed to disease progression by the treating investigator.

AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo will also present updated results from the BEGONIA Phase Ib/II trial at ESMO showing DATROWAY in combination with IMFINZI continued to demonstrate robust anti-tumor activity as 1st-line treatment for patients with metastatic TNBC across PD-L1 expression levels and specifically in those with high PD-L1-expressing tumors. These results will be presented on Monday, October 20 (abstract #555MO).

AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo are evaluating DATROWAY across stages and treatment settings of TNBC in three additional Phase III trials. TROPION-Breast03 is evaluating DATROWAY with or without IMFINZI in patients with Stage I-III TNBC with residual invasive disease after neoadjuvant systemic therapy. TROPION-Breast04 is evaluating neoadjuvant DATROWAY plus IMFINZI in patients with Stage II-III triple-negative or hormone receptor (HR)-low, HER2-low or -negative breast cancer. TROPION-Breast05 is evaluating 1st-line DATROWAY with or without IMFINZI in patients with metastatic TNBC whose tumors express PD-L1.

INDICATION AND IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR DATROWAY^® (datopotamab deruxtecan-dlnk)

Indications

DATROWAY^® is a Trop-2-directed antibody and topoisomerase inhibitor conjugate indicated for the treatment of:

• adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have received prior EGFR-directed therapy and platinum-based chemotherapy.

  This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on objective response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trial.
  

• adult patients with unresectable or metastatic, hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative (IHC 0, IHC 1+ or IHC 2+/ISH-) breast cancer who have received prior endocrine-based therapy and chemotherapy for unresectable or metastatic disease.

Contraindications

None.

Warnings and Precautions

Interstitial Lung Disease/Pneumonitis

DATROWAY can cause severe, life-threatening, or fatal interstitial lung disease (ILD) or pneumonitis.

Locally Advanced or Metastatic NSCLC

In the pooled safety population of 484 patients with NSCLC from TROPION-Lung01, TROPION-Lung05, and TROPION-PanTumor01, ILD/pneumonitis occurred in 7% of patients treated with DATROWAY, including 0.6% of patients with Grade 3 and 0.4% with Grade 4. There were 8 (1.7%) fatal cases. The median time to onset for ILD was 1.4 months (range: 0.2 months to 9 months). Eleven patients (2.3%) had DATROWAY withheld and 20 patients (4.1%) permanently discontinued DATROWAY due to ILD/pneumonitis. Systemic corticosteroids were required in 79% (26/33) of patients with ILD/pneumonitis. ILD/pneumonitis resolved in 45% of patients.

Unresectable or Metastatic Breast Cancer

In the pooled safety population of 443 patients with breast cancer from TROPION-Breast01 and TROPION-PanTumor01, ILD/pneumonitis occurred in 3.6% of patients treated with DATROWAY, including 0.7% of patients with Grade 3. There was one fatal case (0.2%). The median time to onset for ILD was 2.8 months (range: 1.1 months to 10.8 months). Four patients (0.9%) had DATROWAY withheld and 7 patients (1.6%) permanently discontinued DATROWAY due to ILD/pneumonitis. Systemic corticosteroids were required in 60% (9/15) of patients with ILD/pneumonitis. ILD/pneumonitis resolved in 40% of patients.

Patients were excluded from clinical studies for a history of ILD/pneumonitis requiring treatment with steroids or for ongoing ILD/pneumonitis.

Monitor patients for new or worsening respiratory symptoms indicative of ILD/pneumonitis (e.g., dyspnea, cough, fever) during treatment with DATROWAY. For asymptomatic (Grade 1) ILD/pneumonitis, consider corticosteroid treatment (e.g., ≥0.5 mg/kg/day prednisolone or equivalent). For symptomatic ILD/pneumonitis (Grade 2 or greater), promptly initiate systemic corticosteroid treatment (e.g., ≥1 mg/kg/day prednisolone or equivalent) and continue for at least 14 days followed by gradual taper for at least 4 weeks.

Withhold DATROWAY in patients with suspected ILD/pneumonitis and permanently discontinue DATROWAY if ≥Grade 2 ILD/pneumonitis is confirmed.

Ocular Adverse Reactions

DATROWAY can cause ocular adverse reactions including dry eye, keratitis, blepharitis, meibomian gland dysfunction, increased lacrimation, conjunctivitis, and blurred vision.

In the pooled safety population, ocular adverse reactions occurred in 36% of patients treated with DATROWAY. Twenty patients (2.2%) experienced Grade 3 ocular adverse reactions, which included keratitis, dry eye, and blurred vision, and one patient experienced a Grade 4 ocular adverse reaction of conjunctival hemorrhage. The most common (≥5%) ocular adverse reactions were dry eye (17%), keratitis (14%), and increased lacrimation (7%). The median time to onset for ocular adverse reactions was 2.3 months (range: 0.03 months to 23.2 months). Of the patients who experienced ocular adverse reactions, 39% had complete resolution, and 10% had partial improvement (defined as a decrease in severity by one or more grades from the worst grade at last follow up). Ocular adverse reactions led to dosage interruption in 3.6% of patients, dosage reductions in 2.5% of patients, and permanent discontinuation of DATROWAY in 1% of patients.

Patients with clinically significant corneal disease were excluded from clinical studies.

Advise patients to use preservative-free lubricant eye drops several times daily for prophylaxis. Advise patients to avoid use of contact lenses unless directed by an eye care professional.

Refer patients to an eye care professional for an ophthalmic exam including visual acuity testing, slit lamp examination (with fluorescein staining), intraocular pressure, and fundoscopy at treatment initiation, annually while on treatment, at end of treatment, and as clinically indicated.

Promptly refer patients to an eye care professional for any new or worsening ocular adverse reactions. Monitor patients for ocular adverse reactions during treatment with DATROWAY, and if diagnosis is confirmed, withhold, reduce the dose, or permanently discontinue DATROWAY based on severity.

Stomatitis

DATROWAY can cause stomatitis, including mouth ulcers and oral mucositis.

In the pooled safety population, stomatitis occurred in 63% of patients treated with DATROWAY, including 8% of patients with Grade 3 events and one patient with a Grade 4 reaction. The median time to first onset of stomatitis was 0.5 months (range: 0.03 months to 18.6 months). Stomatitis led to dosage interruption in 6% of patients, dosage reductions in 11% of patients, and permanent discontinuation of DATROWAY in 0.5% of patients.

In patients who received DATROWAY in TROPION-Breast01, 39% used a mouthwash containing corticosteroid for management or prophylaxis of stomatitis/oral mucositis at any time during the treatment.

Advise patients to use a steroid-containing mouthwash for prophylaxis and treatment of stomatitis. Instruct the patient to hold ice chips or ice water in the mouth throughout the infusion of DATROWAY.

Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of stomatitis. If stomatitis occurs, increase the frequency of mouthwash and administer other topical treatments as clinically indicated. Based on the severity of the adverse reaction, withhold, reduce the dose, or permanently discontinue DATROWAY.

Embryo-Fetal Toxicity

Based on its mechanism of action, DATROWAY can cause embryo-fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman because the topoisomerase inhibitor component of DATROWAY, DXd, is genotoxic and affects actively dividing cells.

Advise patients of the potential risk to a fetus. Advise female patients of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with DATROWAY and for 7 months after the last dose. Advise male patients with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with DATROWAY and for 4 months after the last dose.

Adverse Reactions

The pooled safety population described in WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS reflects exposure to DATROWAY in 927 patients as a single agent at 6 mg/kg administered as an intravenous infusion once every 3 weeks (21-day cycle) until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. This included 137 patients with NSCLC in TROPION-Lung05, 297 patients with NSCLC in TROPION-Lung01, 360 patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer in TROPION-Breast01, and 50 patients with NSCLC and 83 patients with breast cancer in TROPION-PanTumor01 (NCT03401385). Among 927 patients who received DATROWAY, 45% were exposed for 6 months or longer and 19% were exposed for greater than one year. In this pooled safety population, the most common (≥20%) adverse reactions were stomatitis (63%), nausea (52%), fatigue (45%), alopecia (38%), constipation (28%), decreased appetite (23%), rash (23%), vomiting (22%), and musculoskeletal pain (20%). In this pooled safety population, the most common (≥2%) Grade 3 or 4 laboratory abnormalities were decreased lymphocytes (9%) and decreased hemoglobin (3.5%).

Locally Advanced or Metastatic EGFR-Mutated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

TROPION-Lung05, TROPION-Lung01, TROPION-PanTumor01

The safety of DATROWAY was evaluated in 125 patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC who received DATROWAY 6 mg/kg administered as an intravenous infusion once every 3 weeks (21-day cycle) until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity in TROPION-Lung05 and TROPION-Lung01 as well as TROPION-PanTumor01 (NCT03401385). Among these patients, the median duration of treatment was 6.1 months (range 0.7 months to 41.7 months).

The median age was 63 years (range: 36 to 81), 56% of patients were <65 years, 62% of patients were female; 66% were Asian, 26% were White, 0.8% were Black, 6% were other races; and 2.4% were of Hispanic ethnicity.

Serious adverse reactions occurred in 26% of patients who received DATROWAY. Serious adverse reactions in >1% of patients who received DATROWAY were COVID-19 (4%), stomatitis (2.4%), and pneumonia (1.6%). Fatal adverse reactions occurred in 1.6% of patients who received DATROWAY, due to death not otherwise specified.

Permanent discontinuation of DATROWAY due to an adverse reaction occurred in 8% of patients. Adverse reactions which resulted in permanent discontinuation of DATROWAY in >1% of patients included ILD/pneumonitis (2.4%) and abnormal hepatic function (1.6%).

Dosage interruptions of DATROWAY due to an adverse reaction occurred in 43% of patients. Adverse reactions which required dosage interruption in >1% of patients included COVID-19 (13%), stomatitis (7%), fatigue (6%), pneumonia (4%), anemia (2.4%), amylase increased (2.4%), keratitis (2.4%), ILD/pneumonitis (1.6%), decreased appetite (1.6%), dyspnea (1.6%), rash (1.6%), and infusion-related reaction (1.6%).

Dose reductions of DATROWAY due to an adverse reaction occurred in 26% of patients. Adverse reactions which required dose reduction in >1% of patients included stomatitis (14%), keratitis (1.6%), fatigue (1.6%), decreased weight (1.6%) and COVID-19 (1.6%).

The most common (≥20%) adverse reactions, including laboratory abnormalities, were stomatitis (71%), nausea (50%), alopecia (49%), fatigue (42%), decreased hemoglobin (34%), decreased lymphocytes (32%), constipation (31%), increased calcium (31%), increased AST (28%), decreased white blood cell count (27%), increased lactate dehydrogenase (23%), musculoskeletal pain (22%), decreased appetite (20%), increased ALT (20%), and rash (20%). Clinically relevant adverse reactions occurring in <10% of patients who received DATROWAY included dry skin, blurred vision, abdominal pain, conjunctivitis, dry mouth, ILD/pneumonitis, skin hyperpigmentation, increased lacrimation, and visual impairment.

Unresectable or Metastatic, HR-Positive, HER2-Negative Breast Cancer

TROPION-Breast01

The safety of DATROWAY was evaluated in 360 patients with unresectable or metastatic HR-positive, HER2-negative (IHC 0, IHC1+ or IHC2+/ISH-) breast cancer who received at least one dose of DATROWAY 6 mg/kg in TROPION-Breast01. DATROWAY was administered by intravenous infusion once every three weeks. The median duration of treatment was 6.7 months (range: 0.7 months to 16.1 months) for patients who received DATROWAY.

Serious adverse reactions occurred in 15% of patients who received DATROWAY. Serious adverse reactions in >0.5% of patients who received DATROWAY were urinary tract infection (1.9%), COVID-19 infection (1.7%), ILD/pneumonitis (1.1%), acute kidney injury, pulmonary embolism, vomiting, diarrhea, hemiparesis, and anemia (0.6% each). Fatal adverse reactions occurred in 0.3% of patients who received DATROWAY and were due to ILD/pneumonitis.

Permanent discontinuation of DATROWAY due to an adverse reaction occurred in 3.1% of patients. Adverse reactions which resulted in permanent discontinuation of DATROWAY in >0.5% of patients included ILD/pneumonitis (1.7%) and fatigue (0.6%).

Dosage interruptions of DATROWAY due to an adverse reaction occurred in 22% of patients. Adverse reactions which required dosage interruption in >1% of patients included COVID-19 (3.3%), infusion-related reaction (1.4%), ILD/pneumonitis (1.9%), stomatitis (1.9%), fatigue (1.7%), keratitis (1.4%), acute kidney injury (1.1%), and pneumonia (1.1%).

Dose reductions of DATROWAY due to an adverse reaction occurred in 23% of patients. Adverse reactions which required dose reduction in >1% of patients included stomatitis (13%), fatigue (3.1%), nausea (2.5%), and weight decrease (1.9%).

The most common (≥20%) adverse reactions, including laboratory abnormalities, were stomatitis (59%), nausea (56%), fatigue (44%), decreased leukocytes (41%), decreased calcium (39%), alopecia (38%), decreased lymphocytes (36%), decreased hemoglobin (35%), constipation (34%), decreased neutrophils (30%), dry eye (27%), vomiting (24%), increased ALT (24%), keratitis (24%), increased AST (23%), and increased alkaline phosphatase (23%).

Clinically relevant adverse reactions occurring in <10% of patients who received DATROWAY included infusion-related reactions (including bronchospasm), ILD/pneumonitis, headache, pruritus, dry skin, dry mouth, conjunctivitis, blepharitis, meibomian gland dysfunction, blurred vision, increased lacrimation, photophobia, visual impairment, skin hyperpigmentation, and madarosis.

Use in Specific Populations

• Pregnancy: Based on its mechanism of action, DATROWAY can cause embryo-fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman because the topoisomerase inhibitor component of DATROWAY, DXd, is genotoxic and affects actively dividing cells. There are no available data on the use of DATROWAY in pregnant women to inform a drug-associated risk. Advise patients of the potential risks to a fetus.
• Lactation: There are no data regarding the presence of datopotamab deruxtecan-dlnk or its metabolites in human milk, the effects on the breastfed child, or the effects on milk production. Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in a breastfed child, advise women not to breastfeed during treatment with DATROWAY and for 1 month after the last dose.
• Females and Males of Reproductive Potential: Pregnancy Testing: Verify pregnancy status of females of reproductive potential prior to initiation of DATROWAY. Contraception: Females: Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with DATROWAY and for 7 months after the last dose. Males: Because of the potential for genotoxicity, advise male patients with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with DATROWAY and for 4 months after the last dose. Infertility: Based on findings in animal toxicity studies, DATROWAY may impair male and female reproductive function and fertility. The effects on reproductive organs in animals were irreversible.
• Pediatric Use: Safety and effectiveness of DATROWAY have not been established in pediatric patients.
• Geriatric Use: Of the 125 patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC in TROPION-Lung05, TROPION-Lung01, TROPION-PanTumor01 treated with DATROWAY 6 mg/kg, 44% were ≥65 years of age and 10% were ≥75 years of age. No clinically meaningful differences in efficacy and safety were observed between patients ≥65 years of age versus younger patients. Of the 365 patients in TROPION-Breast01 treated with DATROWAY 6 mg/kg, 25% were ≥65 years of age and 5% were ≥75 years of age. Grade ≥3 and serious adverse reactions were more common in patients ≥65 years (42% and 25%, respectively) compared to patients <65 years (33% and 15%, respectively). In TROPION-Breast01, no other meaningful differences in safety or efficacy were observed between patients ≥65 years of age versus younger patients.
• Renal Impairment: A higher incidence of ILD/pneumonitis has been observed in patients with mild and moderate renal impairment (creatinine clearance [CLcr] 30 to <90 mL/min). Monitor patients with renal impairment for increased adverse reactions, including respiratory reactions. No dosage adjustment is recommended in patients with mild to moderate renal impairment. The effect of severe renal impairment (CLcr <30 mL/min) on the pharmacokinetics of datopotamab deruxtecan-dlnk or DXd is unknown.
• Hepatic Impairment: No dosage adjustment is recommended in patients with mild hepatic impairment (total bilirubin ≤ULN and any AST >ULN or total bilirubin >1 to 1.5 times ULN and any AST). Limited data are available in patients with moderate hepatic impairment (total bilirubin >1.

Contacts

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