Kelun-Biotech study links TROP2 targeting to delayed lung cancer resistance

The research, led by Professor Li Zhang and Professor Wenfeng Fang from the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, provides a mechanistic justification for using sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT) alongside EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors. By analyzing residual drug-tolerant persister cells that typically emerge after standard therapy, the team demonstrated that these cells exhibit upregulated TROP2 levels. Preclinical models confirmed that the combination therapy effectively curtails tumor recurrence by disrupting the survival mechanisms of these persistent cells.

Building on these findings, Sichuan Kelun-Biotech Biopharmaceutical is moving forward with a Phase III registrational study (NCT06670196) comparing the efficacy of the sac-TMT and osimertinib combination against osimertinib monotherapy. Patient enrollment for this trial in China is complete, with the project now entering the follow-up phase. The company is also exploring the potential of this regimen in earlier clinical stages, including a Phase II study (NCT07329322) evaluating the combination as a neoadjuvant treatment for resectable NSCLC. As of June 2026, sac-TMT remains a focal point of the company's oncology pipeline, supported by its proprietary OptiDC platform and ongoing global collaboration with MSD.