ASCO 2026: A battle of bispecifics, Eli Lilly’s big win and more

Eli Lilly presented "extraordinary" data for its RET inhibitor Retevmo in early‑stage RET fusion–positive lung cancer, with a 83% reduction in the risk of disease or death in the adjuvant Phase 3 LIBRETTO‑432 trial (151 patients, stage IB–IIIA NSCLC). At two years, event‑free survival was 91.5% on Retevmo vs. 61.1% on placebo.

The ASCO 2026 program highlighted a major push of bispecific antibodies into earlier‑line and higher‑risk settings in lymphoma and myeloma, with several programs now being tested beyond relapsed/refractory disease.

Bristol Myers Squibb and others presented late‑breaking Phase 3 data for next‑generation bispecific antibody–drug conjugates (e.g., EGFR×HER3 bispecific ADCs) and bispecifics such as ivonescimab (PD‑1/VEGF) in first‑line squamous NSCLC, underscoring a competitive “battle of bispecifics.”

Lilly also featured its Verzenio (abemaciclib) liposarcoma data and in‑vivo CAR‑T myeloma candidate from acquired Kelonia Therapeutics, adding to the broader oncology narrative emerging from ASCO 2026.