Dr. Monk on the FORWARD I Trial in Ovarian Cancer

Bradley J. Monk, MD, FACOG, FACS, professor and director of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology at Creighton University School of Medicine at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Arizona Oncology, discusses the FORWARD I trial in ovarian cancer.

The FORWARD I trial is a randomized phase III trial of the folate antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), mirvetuximab soravtansine in patients who overexpress the folate receptor. Patients enrolled in the trial had to have failed 1 to 3 lines of prior therapy, says Monk. Physicians hope that the study results in clinical benefit compared to physicians’ choice chemotherapy—paclitaxel, topotecan, or pegylated liposomal doxorubicin.

Physicians have lived in a world of anti-angiogenic therapies, says Monk. Physicians saw the FDA approval of bevacizumab (Avastin) in platinum-resistant, platinum-sensitive, and likely frontline ovarian cancer. Additionally, there have been approvals for PARP inhibitors and checkpoint inhibitors that came from multiple randomized phase III trials. Monk believes that ADCs are the way of the future. This will make ADCs fourth class of targeted therapies in ovarian cancer.