- Retevmo reduced risk of recurrence or death by 83% in early-stage RET-positive NSCLC patients
- The LIBRETTO-432 Phase 3 trial involved 151 patients with stage IB-IIIA RET fusion-positive NSCLC
- Event-free survival at 24 months was 92% for Retevmo patients versus 61% for placebo in stage II-IIIA
In a promising breakthrough for lung cancer treatment, Eli Lilly announced that its targeted therapy Retevmo (selpercatinib) significantly reduced the risk of disease recurrence or death in patients with early-stage RET fusion-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to results from a Phase 3 clinical trial.
The LIBRETTO-432 study found that patients treated with Retevmo after surgery or radiation therapy experienced an 83% lower risk of cancer recurrence or death compared with those receiving a placebo, according to a press release.
The trial involved 151 patients with stage IB-IIIA RET fusion-positive NSCLC and is the first randomized Phase 3 study to evaluate a selective RET inhibitor in the adjuvant setting.
According to the company, event-free survival rates at 24 months reached 92% among patients with stage II-IIIA disease who received Retevmo, compared with 61% in the placebo group.
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Similar benefits were observed across the broader study population, reinforcing the drug's potential role in preventing cancer relapse.
The findings, which will be presented at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, highlight the growing importance of comprehensive genomic testing in lung cancer diagnosis.
Researchers said the results place RET fusions alongside EGFR mutations and ALK fusions as key biomarkers that can be effectively targeted in early-stage lung cancer. While overall survival data remain immature, early trends also favoured Retevmo.
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Lilly said it plans to submit the trial data to global regulatory authorities, a move that could pave the way for Retevmo to become a new standard treatment option for patients with early-stage RET-positive lung cancer.
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