Ivonescimab Cuts Death Risk 27% in NSCLC Trial

Ivonescimab significantly improved overall survival versus pembrolizumab as first-line treatment for PD-L1-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer in the China-based phase 3 HARMONi-2 trial presented at the 2026 World Conference on Lung Cancer. Among 398 patients, median overall survival was 30.8 months with ivonescimab versus 22.6 months with pembrolizumab, representing a 27% reduction in the risk of death. The benefit followed an earlier progression-free survival advantage, with median progression-free survival of 11.1 versus 5.8 months, and was generally consistent across squamous and nonsquamous disease. Outcomes appeared particularly strong in patients with PD-L1 expression of at least 50%, though the trial was conducted in China, making results from the separate global HARMONi study important for assessing broader applicability. Ivonescimab is already approved in China for this treatment setting, while further international trials are evaluating its role and safety, including in squamous tumors where conventional anti-VEGF therapies have raised bleeding concerns.