AstraZeneca Showcases Broad Oncology Leadership with More Than 80 Abstracts and Two Plenary Presentations at ASCO 2025, Reinforcing Ambition to Eliminate Cancer as a Cause of Death
AstraZeneca is poised to make a major impact at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, held from May 30 to June 3 in Chicago, as it unveils a robust collection of new clinical data spanning its expansive oncology pipeline. The company will present more than 80 abstracts across 20 approved and investigational cancer therapies, underscoring its commitment to redefining cancer treatment paradigms and realizing its bold ambition to eliminate cancer as a cause of death.
Among the highlights are two plenary presentations, one special late-breaking oral abstract session, and 19 additional oral presentations — all reflecting the depth and breadth of AstraZeneca’s oncology research and development efforts across a wide range of tumor types. These include breast, gastric, lung, and rare cancers, with a particular focus on innovative therapeutic strategies, biomarker-driven treatment approaches, and early intervention in curative settings.
Pioneering Advances in Breast Cancer with Camizestrant and Enhertu
One of the cornerstone presentations at ASCO 2025 is the SERENA-6 Phase III trial, which will be featured as a plenary presentation (Abstract #LBA4). This landmark study evaluates camizestrant, a next-generation oral selective estrogen receptor degrader (SERD) and complete estrogen receptor (ER) antagonist, in combination with widely used CDK4/6 inhibitors. The trial investigates the use of camizestrant as a first-line therapy in patients with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer whose tumors have developed an emergent ESR1 mutation — a key resistance mechanism in this population.
Crucially, SERENA-6 is the first positive Phase III study for an oral SERD in this first-line setting. It is also the first pivotal trial to employ circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as a tool to guide treatment switching, representing a major leap forward in the use of liquid biopsy technologies to delay disease progression in real time. Camizestrant’s potential to reshape the treatment landscape hinges not only on its novel mechanism of action but also on its capacity to personalize therapy through molecular monitoring.
Further cementing AstraZeneca’s leadership in breast cancer, the DESTINY-Breast09 Phase III trial (Abstract #LBA1008) evaluates the combination of Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan) with pertuzumab as a first-line treatment for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Enhertu, an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) developed in collaboration with Daiichi Sankyo, is already recognized for its efficacy in heavily pre-treated HER2-positive populations. DESTINY-Breast09 is the first study in over a decade to demonstrate superiority over standard first-line treatment in a broad HER2-positive patient population — a potentially practice-changing result.
“These two key breast cancer presentations highlight the progress we are making with our innovative medicines and pipeline to change the treatment landscape,” said Dr. Susan Galbraith, Executive Vice President, Oncology R&D at AstraZeneca. “Camizestrant in SERENA-6 pioneers the use of circulating tumor DNA to inform treatment switching in the first-line setting, and DESTINY-Breast09 for Enhertu plus pertuzumab challenges the longstanding standard of care, offering patients new hope for improved outcomes.”
Expanding Immunotherapy Frontiers in Gastric and Lung Cancers
AstraZeneca’s commitment to broadening the reach of immunotherapy into earlier lines of treatment and new tumor types is exemplified by the MATTERHORN Phase III trial (Abstract #LBA5), which will also be presented in a plenary session. This pivotal study assesses Imfinzi (durvalumab), a PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitor, in combination with FLOT chemotherapy in patients with resectable early-stage and locally advanced gastric and gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancers.
The study demonstrates that adding Imfinzi to perioperative treatment significantly improves outcomes, advancing the company’s long-standing strategy of bringing immunotherapy into curative-intent settings. Gastric cancer, particularly in its resectable stages, remains a difficult-to-treat disease with limited immunotherapy options. Positive results from MATTERHORN may support a new standard of care that addresses this critical unmet need.
Dave Fredrickson, Executive Vice President, Oncology Business Unit at AstraZeneca, emphasized the broader strategic importance of the study: “The MATTERHORN data for perioperative Imfinzi exemplify our vision to shift the use of immunotherapy into early stages of cancer, where cure is still the primary goal. This year marks the seventh consecutive year that AstraZeneca’s medicines have been featured in an ASCO plenary session, a testament to the strength and innovation of our oncology portfolio.”
The company’s growing influence in gastrointestinal cancers is further illustrated by the DESTINY-Gastric04 Phase III trial (Abstract #LBA4002), which evaluates Enhertu in the second-line setting for HER2-positive unresectable or metastatic gastric and GEJ cancers. Enhertu continues to show strong activity in HER2-positive tumors beyond breast cancer, and this trial underscores its potential as a multi-indication ADC for difficult-to-treat cancers.
Innovation in Early-Stage Lung Cancer and Rare Tumor Types
In lung cancer, AstraZeneca will present key data from the NeoADAURA Phase III trial (Abstract #8001), which examines neoadjuvant (pre-surgical) Tagrisso (osimertinib) with or without chemotherapy in patients with resectable, early-stage EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). As an oral targeted therapy, Tagrisso has already transformed the adjuvant (post-surgical) treatment paradigm in EGFR-mutated NSCLC. NeoADAURA now explores its potential to improve outcomes even earlier in the treatment journey, reflecting a shift toward total disease eradication through precision medicine.
The meeting will also feature a biomarker-focused analysis from TROPION-Lung02, a Phase Ib study of Datroway (datopotamab deruxtecan), another ADC developed with Daiichi Sankyo, in combination with pembrolizumab with or without platinum chemotherapy (Abstract #8501). This study focuses on patients with advanced NSCLC lacking actionable genomic alterations. Computational pathology and biomarker insights will help define which patients are most likely to benefit from this novel therapy, pushing the field toward a more biomarker-informed approach even in traditionally less targetable cancers.
In the rare disease space, AstraZeneca will share data from the KOMET Phase III trial (Abstract #3014), which evaluates Koselugo (selumetinib), a MEK inhibitor, in adults with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and symptomatic, inoperable plexiform neurofibromas. This rare, inherited disorder causes tumor growth along nerves and can lead to severe complications. The trial marks the expansion of Koselugo’s potential use into adult populations and may offer a new therapeutic option for a challenging condition with limited treatment choices.
Strategic Collaborations and a Unified Vision
AstraZeneca’s progress at ASCO 2025 is the result of sustained scientific investment and strategic collaborations with key partners. The company co-develops Enhertu and Datroway with Daiichi Sankyo, collaborates with Merck & Co., Inc. (known as MSD outside the U.S. and Canada) on the development of Koselugo, and works with HUTCHMED on the advancement of Orpathys (savolitinib), a MET inhibitor for lung and kidney cancers.
Each of these partnerships plays a critical role in accelerating access to cutting-edge therapies and expanding the scientific reach of AstraZeneca’s oncology portfolio.
A New Era in Oncology Driven by Innovation and Data
With a record number of presentations, multiple pivotal Phase III trials, and inclusion in two of ASCO’s most prestigious plenary sessions, AstraZeneca is delivering on its vision to redefine cancer care through innovative science, precision diagnostics, and earlier interventions. From breast and gastric cancers to lung cancer and rare tumors, the company is not only addressing urgent unmet needs but also setting new standards of care that bring the global oncology community closer to the shared goal of eliminating cancer as a cause of death.
As ASCO 2025 unfolds, AstraZeneca’s presence stands as a powerful testament to the possibilities of science when coupled with vision, partnership, and patient-centered purpose.
