Dr. Morris Discusses Ongoing Research With 177Lu-PSMA-617 in Prostate Cancer

Michael J. Morris, MD, medical oncologist, section head, Prostate Cancer, GU Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses ongoing research efforts with ¹⁷⁷Lu-PSMA-617 in prostate cancer.

On June 17, 2021, the FDA granted a breakthrough therapy designation to ¹⁷⁷Lu-PSMA-617 for the treatment of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). The regulatory decision was based on findings from the phase 3 VISION trial (NCT03511664), in which ¹⁷⁷Lu-PSMA-617 improved radiologic progression-free survival and overall survival vs standard-of-care treatment in patients with PSMA-positive mCRPC.

However, ¹⁷⁷Lu-PSMA-617 is being evaluated in earlier lines of treatment for patients with prostate cancer compared with the disease state evaluated in the VISION trial, Morris says. For example, the phase 3 PSMAfore trial (NCT04689828) is evaluating ¹⁷⁷Lu-PSMA-617 vs androgen receptor–directed therapy for patients with taxane-naïve mCRPC, Morris explains.

Additionally, ¹⁷⁷Lu-PSMA-617 combinations with standard and novel agents are being investigated to determine whether survival can be improved upon for patients with prostate cancer, Morris explains.

Finally, biomarker research based on the VISION trial is ongoing to evaluate the relationship between pretreatment PSMA imaging and clinical benefit, Morris says. The insight could translate to improved patient selection and a more defined role for PSMA imaging, Morris concludes.