Eli Lilly presented Phase 1 trial results for its antibody-drug conjugate LY4052031 at the ASCO Annual Meeting.
The drug treats advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer by targeting the Nectin-4 protein.
In the NEXUS-01 study, 42% of 48 evaluable patients experienced tumor shrinkage.
The treatment positions Eli Lilly to compete with Pfizer and Astellas' established drug, Padcev.
Lilly Oncology President Jake Van Naarden noted that Nectin-4 often remains overexpressed on cancer cells after relapse.
This persistence suggests that LY4052031’s unique chemical payload can remain effective even after standard treatments fail.