What is the efficacy of zotuximab/veluoyi? Is the effect obvious?

Zolbetuximab (zolbetuximab)-Vyloy is a new cancer treatment drug that has attracted much attention in recent years. It is a monoclonal antibody drug that mainly targets the new target of tight junction protein CLDN18.2 (Claudin18.2). Unlike traditional chemotherapy or common targeted therapy, zotuximab uses immune mechanism-mediated cytotoxicity to kill tumor cells, which gives it unique advantages in the treatment of gastric cancer and gastroesophageal junction cancer. As clinical research continues to deepen, more and more doctors and patients are beginning to pay attention to its actual efficacy and application value.

In terms of efficacy, the advantages of zotuximab are mainly reflected in accuracy and specificity. CLDN18.2 protein has limited expression in normal tissues, but is highly expressed in some gastric cancer and gastroesophageal junction cancer tissues. This allows zotuximab to highly selectively bind to tumor cells and reduce the impact on normal cells. By binding to this target, the drug is able to trigger antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity, thereby effectively clearing cancer cells. Overseas studies have shown that in eligible patient groups, the use of zotuximab can lead to longer disease control time and show a positive trend in overall survival benefit. Although there is no guarantee that all patients will achieve significant improvement, for certain groups, its effect is indeed more obvious.

Compared with traditional treatment methods, the biggest difference of zotuximab is that its treatment mode is more precise. Chemotherapy drugs often lack selectivity and can affect normal cells and cause strong side effects. Zotuximab achieves relatively precise killing by recognizing the CLDN18.2 protein on the surface of tumor cells. This mechanism not only improves the effectiveness of treatment, but also allows doctors to select patients more specifically in individualized treatment, thus increasing the overall treatment value. The sharing of multiple overseas clinical data and academic conferences also provides strong support for the potential application value of this drug.

However, the effectiveness of zotuximab varies from person to person. Not all patients with gastric cancer are suitable for use. The premise is that the patient's tumor tissue needs to detect a higher level of CLDN18.2 expression. Therefore, in clinical applications, doctors will recommend molecular pathology testing to screen out those who are most likely to benefit from it. This stratified treatment model based on biomarkers allows drugs to be most effective in appropriate patients, rather than being applied "one size fits all" to all patients.

In addition to the direct manifestation of efficacy, the potential of zotuximab in combination therapy is also being explored. Some overseas studies have shown that when it is used in combination with standard chemotherapy regimens, it can further improve the efficacy and extend the progression-free survival of patients. Although more long-term data are still needed to support it, this direction provides doctors with more possibilities in clinical practice and allows patients to receive more comprehensive management when receiving treatment.

From the perspective of patient experience, whether the efficacy is "obvious" depends not only on the speed of tumor shrinkage or the extension of survival time, but also on the improvement of quality of life. Zotuximab can bring about more durable disease control in some patients, which means that patients may remain relatively stable for a longer period of time, thereby achieving positive effects on daily life and psychological level. This is especially important for diseases like gastric cancer, which are often diagnosed in the middle and late stages.

Reference materials:https://www.astellas.com/en/news/29401