At WCLC 2024, Cascone et al. reported preliminary efficacy and safety data for several novel perioperative combinations in patients with stage IIA-IIIB resectable non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) included in Arms 1, 2 and 4 of the open-label, phase II NeoCOAST-2 platform study [1].

In the management of patients with advanced PD-L1–positive non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the use of bispecific antibodies is gaining ground. Ivonescimab (AK112) is a first-in-class bispecific antibody directed against PD-1 and the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) type A. As VEGF and PD-(L)1 inhibitors were found to have synergistic activity, it was postulated that their simultaneous use might enhance treatment efficacy compared with the co-administration of separate anti–PD-(L)1 and anti-VEGF agents [1-3].

HER2 mutations are rare as they occur in approximately 2–4 % of NSCLC cases, although they are associated with poor prognosis and increased incidence of brain metastases [1, 2]. As HER2-mutant NSCLC is relatively insensitive to chemo­therapy, there is a substantial unmet need for targeted options [3, 4].