A lung cancer combination holds its ground in US patients: two-year survival nearly doubles the comparison arm

For people with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer — a fast-moving disease with few good options — the question behind the ASTRIDE study was whether a treatment already proven globally would work the same in American patients, including groups often underrepresented in trials. Serplulimab, an immune therapy made by Shanghai's Henlius, combined with chemotherapy, was compared with the standard immune therapy atezolizumab plus chemotherapy. Median survival was numerically longer with serplulimab — 12.4 months versus 10.2 — and the gap widened over time: 52.4 per cent of serplulimab patients were alive at one year versus 41.4 per cent, and 32.2 per cent at two years versus 17.6 per cent, even though the serplulimab group started with more liver metastases. The results, presented at the ESMO Congress 2026 by UC Davis professor David R. Gandara, support the earlier global Phase 3 trial that showed a clear survival benefit.

SDG 3 · Good health and well-being — Mechanism: tech innovation