– Late-breaking Phase 3 ASCENT-03 Study Results Highlight Potential for Trodelvy® to Redefine First-Line Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Treatment –
– New EDGE-Gastric Overall Survival Results, for Anti-TIGIT Domvanalimab plus Anti-PD-1 Zimberelimab and Chemotherapy also to be Presented –
October 13, 2025--FOSTER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) and Kite, a Gilead Company, will demonstrate progress in our commitment to transform how cancer is treated with new data at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2025 Congress October 17 – 21.
Potentially Practice-Changing Results for First-Line Metastatic TNBC Treatment
A late-breaking presentation (#LBA20) will feature full results from the Phase 3 ASCENT-03 study of Trodelvy® (sacituzumab govitecan-hziy) as a first-line treatment in people with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) who are not candidates for PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors. Gilead previously announced that ASCENT-03 met its primary endpoint, demonstrating a highly statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) with Trodelvy compared to chemotherapy in this patient population, potentially offering the first major treatment advance for this patient population since TNBC was classified as a disease 20 years ago.
Late-breaking results will also be presented (#LBA22) from an analysis evaluating quality of life among patients receiving Trodelvy plus Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) versus Keytruda and chemotherapy in the positive ASCENT-04/KEYNOTE-D19 study in first-line PD-L1+ metastatic TNBC. Primary results from the ASCENT-04 study were recently presented during a late-breaking oral session at the 2025 ASCO Annual Congress.
The use of Trodelvy plus Keytruda in patients with first-line PD-L1+ metastatic TNBC and Trodelvy as monotherapy in patients with first-line metastatic TNBC who are not candidates for PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors are investigational, and the safety and efficacy of these uses have not been established.
“With ASCENT-04 and now ASCENT-03, our data underscore the potential of Trodelvy to be a standard of care option for all first-line metastatic triple-negative breast cancer patients regardless of PD-L1 status,” said Dietmar Berger, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer, Gilead Sciences. “This progress reflects our broader oncology strategy – advancing innovative therapies into earlier lines of treatment, expanding the types of cancer we can treat and applying the very latest innovation to the most challenging forms of cancer, including gastroesophageal, lung and gynecological cancers.”
Expanding Impact in Gastric and Esophageal Cancers
Together with Arcus Biosciences, Gilead will also share the first overall survival (OS) results from Arm A1 of the Phase 2 EDGE-Gastric study (#2112MO) evaluating first-line, combination treatment of the Fc-silent anti-TIGIT antibody domvanalimab, plus the anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody zimberelimab and chemotherapy in people with advanced gastric or esophageal cancer that has spread or cannot be removed with surgery. In Arm A1 of the study, 50 percent of patients went on to live for more than two years, with a median OS of 26.7 months.
No unexpected safety signals were observed at the time of data cut off. The safety profile of domvanalimab plus zimberelimab and chemotherapy was generally well tolerated and is consistent with that of anti-PD-1 plus chemotherapy. Immune-mediated TEAEs related to domvanalimab and/or zimberelimab occurred in 9 patients (22%), and infusion-related reactions occurred in 3 patients (7%).
Domvanalimab and zimberelimab are investigational molecules, and neither Gilead nor Arcus has received approval from any regulatory authority for any use globally, and their safety and efficacy have not been established.
Summary of Presentations
Accepted abstracts at ESMO 2025 include (all times CEST):
KEYTRUDA® is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA.
About Trodelvy
Trodelvy® (sacituzumab govitecan-hziy) is a first-in-class Trop-2-directed antibody-drug conjugate. Trop-2 is a cell surface antigen highly expressed in multiple tumor types, including in more than 90% of breast and lung cancers. Trodelvy is intentionally designed with a proprietary hydrolyzable linker attached to SN-38, a topoisomerase I inhibitor payload. This unique combination delivers potent activity to both Trop-2 expressing cells and the tumor microenvironment through a bystander effect.
Trodelvy is currently approved in more than 50 countries for second-line or later metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients and in more than 40 countries for certain patients with pre-treated HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer.
Trodelvy is currently being evaluated in multiple ongoing Phase 3 trials across a range of tumor types with high Trop-2 expression. These studies with Trodelvy, both in monotherapy and in combination with pembrolizumab, involve earlier lines of treatment for TNBC and HR+/HER2- breast cancer—including in curative settings—as well as in lung and gynecologic cancers, where previous proof-of-concept studies have demonstrated clinical activity.
About Domvanalimab
Domvanalimab is the first and most clinically advanced Fc-silent investigational monoclonal antibody that is specifically designed with Fc-silent properties to block and bind to the T-cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains (TIGIT), a checkpoint receptor on immune cells that acts as a brake on the anticancer immune response. By binding to TIGIT with Fc-silent properties, domvanalimab is believed to work by freeing up immune-activating pathways and activate immune cells to attack and kill cancer cells without depleting the peripheral regulatory T cells important in avoiding immune-related toxicity.
Combined inhibition of both TIGIT and programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) is believed to significantly enhance immune cell activation, as these checkpoint receptors play distinct, complementary roles in anti-tumor activity. Domvanalimab is being evaluated in combination with anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibodies, including zimberelimab in multiple ongoing and planned early and late-stage clinical studies in various tumor types.
About Zimberelimab
Zimberelimab is an anti-programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibody that binds PD-1, with the goal of restoring the antitumor activity of T cells. Zimberelimab has demonstrated high affinity, selectivity and potency in various tumor types.
Zimberelimab is being evaluated in the U.S. and globally as a foundational anti-PD-1 treatment option in multiple ongoing clinical studies in combination with other immunotherapies. Guangzhou Gloria Biosciences Co. Ltd., which holds commercialization rights for zimberelimab in greater China, has obtained approval for zimberelimab for the treatment of recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer and for relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Zimberelimab is not approved for any use in the U.S. or other regions outside of China. Gloria conducts its development and commercialization activities independent of Arcus and Gilead.
About Gilead and Kite Oncology
Gilead and Kite Oncology are working to transform how cancer is treated. We are innovating with next-generation therapies, combinations and technologies to deliver improved outcomes for people with cancer. We are purposefully building our oncology portfolio and pipeline to address the greatest gaps in care. From antibody-drug conjugate technologies and small molecules to cell therapy-based approaches, we are creating new possibilities for people with cancer.
About Gilead Sciences
Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that has pursued and achieved breakthroughs in medicine for more than three decades, with the goal of creating a healthier world for all people. The company is committed to advancing innovative medicines to prevent and treat life-threatening diseases, including HIV, viral hepatitis, COVID-19, cancer, and inflammation. Gilead operates in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, Calif.