Sacituzumab Tirumotecan–Pembrolizumab Shows Efficacy Signal in PD-L1-Negative NSCLC

Pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy is described as standard first-line treatment for PD-L1-negative advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with outcomes remaining poor. In the phase III OptiTROP-Lung06 trial, conducted in China, 455 patients with advanced non-squamous NSCLC were randomly assigned 1:1 to pembrolizumab plus the TROP2-directed antibody–drug conjugate sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT), or pembrolizumab plus pemetrexed–platinum chemotherapy. Progression-free survival was the primary endpoint.

The Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology report says the sac-TMT combination had “promising efficacy.” The available text does not provide efficacy estimates, safety findings, follow-up, or details of statistical significance. Trial results were presented at the ESMO Congress 2026 and published simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine. The report alone is insufficient to assess the size or clinical importance of the benefit; interpretation requires the full trial results, including safety data and the primary endpoint analysis. The findings are from a China-based trial and may not establish applicability to other populations.