Osteosarcoma: first progress in decades with an antibody–drug conjugate

 Results from the ARTEMIS-01 study, a B7-H3-directed antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) of risvutatug rezetecan, has shown promising results for patients with relapsed or refractory osteosarcoma.  Study findings from ARTEMIS-01 will be discussed at the Presidential Symposium of the ESMO Congress, currently taking place (October 23-27, 2026) in Madrid.  After decades of only being able to offer chemotherapy to these patients, the study authors conclude that "combining ADCs with different types of chemotherapy or will multikinase inhibitors or immunotherapy is a rational strategy to be investigated, which may lead to improved efficiency." 

Source mentioned: 

Xie L, et al. Risvutatug rezetecan (Ris-Rez) versus gemcitabine and docetaxel (GD) in heavily pretreated patients (pts) with relapsed or refractory (R/R) osteosarcoma: Primary results from the phase 3 ARTEMIS-011 study. ESMO Congress 2026 - LBA9

Chemotherapy-free regimen of targeted agent and immunotherapeutic superior to imatinib and chemotherapy among adult patients with Ph-positive ALL

 Findings from the phase III GIMENA ALL2820 study, focusing on "the superiority of a frontline chemotherapy-free targeted and immunotherapeutic approach over conventional treatment in adult patients with newly diagnosed Philadelphia-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia" was recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine.  The authors of the study also acknowledged the challenges in obtaining marketing authorization for patients with newly diagnosed Philadelphia-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia, "with overall costs of this new regimen [remaining] beyond the budget of many healthcare systems." 

Click here to read more about this study. 

Sources mentioned: 

• Chiaretti S, Piciocchi A, Skert C, et al. for the GIMEMA Investigators. Ponatinib–Blinatumomab or Imatinib–Chemotherapy for Adult Ph-Positive ALL . N Engl J Med 2026;395(15):1483-1494.  
• Fielding AK. Chemotherapy-free Treatment of Ph-Positive ALL . N Engl J Med 2026;395(15):1542-1544.