AbbVie is set to showcase a slew of oncology results at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago, focusing what it describes as the depth and expanding reach of its cancer pipeline across solid tumors and blood cancers.
The presentations will span multiple oral sessions and posters, highlighting advances across its antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) platform and T-cell engager (TCE) programs, including both Topoisomerase I inhibitor–based ADCs and next-generation immune therapies.
“Our oncology pipeline is intentionally designed to address the complexity and heterogeneity of cancer biology through a diversified portfolio of differentiated therapies spanning multiple modalities,” said Daejin Abidoye, vice president, therapeutic area head, oncology, solid tumor and hematology.
“The data we are presenting at ASCO reflect the strength of this strategy, including continued momentum with our ADC programs in solid tumors and validation of immune-based approaches, such as etentamig, being investigated as a next-generation TCE in multiple myeloma. These results underscore our commitment to advancing assets with distinct scientific approaches aimed to address critical unmet patient needs.”
At the center of the readouts are multiple early-stage studies showing strong signals of anti-tumor activity across difficult-to-treat cancers.
In metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), AbbVie’s first-in-human Phase 1 study of ABBV-969 showed a confirmed objective response rate of 45% among 29 evaluable patients.
The bispecific ADC also delivered deep prostate-specific antigen responses, with 67% of patients achieving at least a 50% reduction and 28% reaching PSA90, while maintaining a manageable safety profile in heavily pretreated patients.
In small cell lung cancer (SCLC), ABBV-706 produced an 82% objective response rate at the recommended Phase 3 dose in second-line treatment, based on Phase 1 data in 17 patients—an eye-catching result in one of oncology’s most aggressive and hard-to-treat cancers. Safety findings were consistent with earlier reports, and further data will be presented at ASCO.
AbbVie also reported early signals from its c-Met–targeted ADC Telisotuzumab adizutecan (Temab-A) in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, showing antitumor activity even in biomarker-unselected populations. Additional data in c-Met–selected patients are expected to further clarify its potential across tumor types.
In multiple myeloma, the company will present Phase 1b data for etentamig, a BCMA x CD3 T-cell engager designed for heavily pretreated patients. Among 11 patients treated after prior BCMA-directed CAR-T therapy, the study showed a 64% objective response rate, with minimal residual disease negativity in 67% of evaluable patients.
Responses lasted a median of 13 months, and no new safety signals were observed. Cytokine release syndrome occurred in 57% of patients but was limited to low-grade events.
Together, the data signal an aggressive push by AbbVie to expand its oncology footprint across multiple mechanisms and cancer types, with a strong emphasis on ADC and immune-based strategies aimed at some of the most difficult-to-treat malignancies.
