At the annual Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology in Madrid, clinical trials presented on October 25, 2026, demonstrated that a combination of the bispecific antibody tarlatamab and the immunotherapy drug durvalumab extends the global median survival from 12,7 to 21,1 months for patients with extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer. Received with a standing ovation at the Even congress, the DeLLphi-305 study evaluated 563 participants who had completed classical chemotherapy associated with immunotherapy without showing signs of progression.
Clinical Trial Results and Survival Gains
The international phase III trial showed that the dual-drug maintenance treatment reduced the relative risk of death by 58% during the observation period. Survival free from disease progression increased from 1,9 months to 7,4 months, while the relative risk of progression or death dropped by 66%. Furthermore, the objective response rate reached 26,4% in the combination group compared to 4,1% in the standard group, and nearly 80% of patients receiving the new therapy remained alive at one year, compared to 53% with durvalumab alone. This benefit was confirmed even in subgroups with worse prognoses, such as patients with brain and liver metastases, representing the greatest survival gain achieved in the history of extensive-stage microcitoma treatment. The introduction of immunotherapy had previously brought a median survival advantage of approximately 2 to 3 months, bringing life expectancy to 12-13 months.
Characteristics of Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Often diagnosed when the disease has already reached an advanced stage, small-cell lung cancer (or microcytoma) accounts for approximately 13% to 15% of lung cancer diagnoses. The condition is characterized by rapid growth, an early tendency to metastasize, and a high risk of relapse. Over 90% of cases are diagnosed in current or former smokers, and surgical intervention is rarely an option due to existing metastases at the time of diagnosis. For years, there had been no significant news for microcitoma, which is aggressive and lethal, and only about 40% of patients receive a second-line therapy.
Safety Profile and Future Outlook
Researchers emphasize that additional data will be required to evaluate long-term safety profiles and determine the exact duration of the clinical benefit.
Mechanism of Action
Durvalumab disarms the PD-L1 shield, lifting the brake on the defensive system, while tarlatamab acts as a biological magnet to target the cancer.
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