The mystery of Jemperli’s rectal cancer breakthrough

Barring Enhertu’s Destiny-Breast04 readout the biggest buzz of the recent Asco conference was generated by an academic-sponsored trial of Jemperli in rectal cancer. This is to say that many doctors and the generalist press were extremely excited; as for the pharma industry, including Jemperli’s maker, GSK, the response has been... virtual radio silence.

There are several complex reasons for this disconnect, but the data suggest that PD-(L)1 blockade could change clinical practice here: the headline number at Asco was that every single patient treated so far had gone into sustained remission. Yet extending Jemperli’s use into this setting could actually be a commercial non-starter.