Merus Announces Abstract Accepted for Presentation at the 2025 ASCO® Annual Meeting

Core Insights - Merus N.V. announced the acceptance of an abstract for the presentation of interim clinical data on petosemtamab in combination with pembrolizumab for the treatment of PD-L1+ recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) at the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting [1][2] - The presentation will include data from a phase 2 trial involving 45 patients, showcasing early clinical efficacy and safety data [2][3] - The company believes petosemtamab has the potential to be a first and best-in-class treatment for r/m HNSCC, demonstrating substantial clinical activity superior to historical controls across multiple efficacy endpoints [3] Company Overview - Merus N.V. is focused on developing innovative full-length multispecific antibodies and antibody drug conjugates, referred to as Biclonics, Triclonics, and ADClonics [1][10] - Petosemtamab (MCLA-158) is a Biclonics low-fucose human full-length IgG1 antibody targeting EGFR and LGR5, designed to exhibit multiple mechanisms of action [6] - The company is conducting a phase 3 trial (LiGeR-HN1) to evaluate the safety and efficacy of petosemtamab in combination with pembrolizumab compared to pembrolizumab alone in r/m HNSCC patients [9] Industry Context - HNSCC is the sixth most common cancer globally, with over 930,000 new cases and more than 465,000 deaths reported in 2020 [8] - The incidence of HNSCC is expected to rise by 30%, surpassing 1 million new cases annually by 2030, indicating a growing need for effective treatment options [8]