Dr. Jhaveri on the TUXEDO-1 Trial in HER2+ Breast Cancer With Brain Metastases

Komal Jhaveri, MD, FACP, medical oncologist, associate member, Breast Medicine and Early Drug Development Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses the implications of the phase 2 TUXEDO-1 trial (NCT04752059) in patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer with brain metastases.

Fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki (Enhertu) demonstrated superior efficacy to ado-trastuzumab emtansine (Kadcyla; T-DM1) in the phase 3 DESTINY-Breast03 trial (NCT03529110) in patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Now early data are beginning to emerge with the use of trastuzumab deruxtecan from the TUXEDO-1 trial in patients with HER2-positive disease with central nervous system metastases, Jhaveri explains. 

In results presented at the ESMO Congress 2021 from the first phase of the trial’s Simon 2-stage design, 5 of 6 patients achieved an objective response, Jhaveri notes, adding that trastuzumab deruxtecan elicited activity despite the presence of brain metastases.

Treating patients with HER2-positive breast cancer with brain metastases remains an unmet need within the space, and more research is being conducted in this patient population to explore the use of antibody-drug conjugates, Jhaveri concludes.