Trastuzumab Rezetecan

Trastuzumab rezetecan (Avida ^®) is a human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-directed antibody-drug conjugate being developed by Jiangsu HengRui Medicine Co., Ltd. for the treatment of various solid tumours, including breast cancer, colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma and lung cancer. In May 2025, it was approved by the National Medical Products Administration of China for the treatment of adults with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) [ERBB2]-activating mutations and have received ≥ 1 previous systemic treatment. This article summarizes the milestones in the development of trastuzumab rezetecan leading to this first approval.

The commercial development of antibody therapeutics is a global enterprise involving thousands of biopharmaceutical firms and supporting service organizations. To date, their combined efforts have resulted in over 200 marketed antibody therapeutics and a pipeline of nearly 1,400 investigational product candidates that are undergoing evaluation in clinical studies as treatments for a wide variety of diseases. Here, we discuss key events in antibody therapeutics development that occurred during 2024 and forecast key events related to the late-stage clinical pipeline that may occur in 2025. In particular, we report on 21 antibody therapeutics granted a first approval in at least one country or region during 2024, including bispecific antibodies tarlatamab (IMDELLTRA®), zanidatamab (Ziihera®), zenocutuzumab (BIZENGRI®), odronextamab (Ordspono®), ivonescimab (®), and antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) sacituzumab tirumotecan (®). We also discuss 30 investigational antibody therapeutics for which marketing applications were undergoing review by at least one regulatory agency, as of our last update on December 9, 2024, including ADCs datopotamab deruxtecan, telisotuzumab vedotin, patritumab deruxtecan, trastuzumab botidotin, becotatug vedotin, and trastuzumab rezetecan. Of 178 antibody therapeutics we include in the late-stage pipeline, we summarize key data for 18 for which marketing applications may be submitted by the end of 2025, such as bi- or multispecific antibodies denecimig, sonelokimab, erfonrilimab, and anbenitamab. Key trends in the development and approval of antibody formats such as bispecifics and ADCs, as well as clinical-phase transition and global approval success rates for these antibody formats, are reported.