GSK said on Monday its cancer drug Jemperli met the primary goal of a mid-stage trial, with a clinically significant rate of patients showing no detectable signs of cancer for one year or more after treatment for a specific type of locally advanced rectal cancer.Here are some details:* Dostarlimab, marketed as Jemperli, is being tested in rectal cancer tumours that cannot properly repair DNA damage, a subtype affecting 5%-10% of 730,000 annual global cases, according to GSK.* Current standard of care typically includes chemotherapy, radiation and surgery, and can lead to lifelong colostomy bag use and infertility.* These tumours have a genetic characteristic where they cannot properly repair DNA damage, causing mutations to accumulate and making them highly responsive to immunotherapies like Jemperli.* The interim data from the phase II AZUR-1 trial also showed dostarlimab's safety and tolerability profile was consistent with previous studies in solid tumours.* Jemperli, already approved in the U.S. and UK for specific endometrial cancer subtypes, generated sales of $1.1 billion in 2025, and GSK expects it to be an important contributor to its long-term sales target of more than £40 billion ($53.52 billion) by 2031.* The drug has received both Breakthrough Therapy and Fast Track designations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and GSK plans to share data with global regulators for review. ($1 = £0.7474)
GSK's Jemperli meets main goal in mid-stage rectal cancer trial
GSK's cancer drug Jemperli met a key goal in a mid-stage trial. This drug targets a specific rectal cancer subtype affecting a small percentage of patients. Current treatments for this cancer can lead to significant lifelong side effects. Jemperli's safety profile remains consistent with prior studies in solid tumors. GSK anticipates Jemperli will significantly contribute to its long-term sales targets.
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