Dr. Ilson on the Utility of Zolbetuximab in Claudin-Positive Gastric Cancers

David H. Ilson, MD, PhD, a medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses the utility of zolbetuximab in claudin-positive gastric cancers.

The claudin-directed antibody zolbetuximab is an interesting drug on the horizon that is now under investigation in an ongoing phase III trial, says Ilson. Claudin is a gap junction protein that is often overexpressed in 70% of gastric cancers, according to Ilson. Provocative phase II data was observed with zolbetuximab when it was combined with chemotherapy in claudin-positive cancers. This approach resulted in a significant survival benefit, particularly in patients with high expression of the protein.

Two randomized trials of zolbetuximab in advanced gastric and gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancers are ongoing, adds Ilson. One trial called the ILUSTRO trial, which is evaluating FOLFOX with or without zolbetuximab in patients with high claudin expression. The other trial, SPOTLIGHT, is examining capecitabine and oxaliplatin with or without zolbetuximab in patients with claudin 18.2-positive HER2-negative, locally advanced unresectable or metastatic gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma, concludes Ilson.