Amgen and AstraZeneca Combo Cuts Death Risk 58% in Small Cell Lung Cancer as ESMO 2026 Produces Wave of Oncology Data

Amgen and AstraZeneca reported landmark Phase 3 results at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress 2026 in Madrid showing that Imdelltra, Amgen's tarlatamab-dlle, combined with AstraZeneca's Imfinzi, durvalumab, reduced the risk of death by 58% compared with Imfinzi alone as a first-line maintenance treatment in patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer, one of the fastest-growing and most lethal cancers. The hazard ratio came in at 0.42, and shares of Amgen were up roughly 0.5% in premarket trading on the news.

Xencor emerged as another standout from the Madrid meeting, with shares surging more than 33% before the open after the company selected 400 mcg/kg as the proposed intravenous recommended Phase 3 dose for XmAb819, its ENPP3 x CD3 T-cell engaging bispecific antibody targeting advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Phase 1 expansion-cohort data underpinning that choice showed a 45.5% confirmed objective response rate, a 55% unconfirmed ORR, and an estimated 82% six-month progression-free survival rate. Xencor said it plans to seek FDA discussions on accelerated approval in the first half of 2027 and intends to design a tivozanib-controlled pivotal trial.

Several other companies posted clinical updates across oncology indications at ESMO 2026. Corcept Therapeutics reported positive results from the Phase 2 BELLA trial of Lifyorli combined with nab-paclitaxel and bevacizumab in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. BioNTech and Bristol Myers Squibb released first Phase 2 data for pumitamig, a PD-L1xVEGF-A bispecific immunomodulator, in combination with docetaxel for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer from the ROSETTA Lung-107 trial. Nuvectis Pharma reported durable responses including complete responses for NXP200 in BRAF V600-mutated recurrent or progressive gliomas in a Phase 1b study. Insilico Medicine disclosed a 40% objective response rate at the 130 mg dose for its AI-designed pan-TEAD inhibitor ISM6331 in heavily pretreated mesothelioma. Amarin shares rose 4.3% premarket after icosapent ethyl showed a survival benefit in a cancer trial, and Nanobiotix was up 5.6% premarket following final Phase 1 data for NBTXR3 with immune checkpoint inhibitors in anti-PD-1-resistant primary cutaneous melanoma.