ENHERTU® Plus Pertuzumab Reduced the Risk of Disease Progression or Death by 44% Versus THP as First-Line Therapy in Patients with HER2 Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer in DESTINY-Breast09 Phase 3 Trial

• Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca’s ENHERTU plus pertuzumab showed a median progression-free survival greater than three years
• First trial in more than a decade to demonstrate an improvement in outcomes in the first-line setting for a broad population of patients with HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer

TOKYO & BASKING RIDGE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Positive results from the DESTINY-Breast09 phase 3 trial showed ENHERTU^® (trastuzumab deruxtecan) plus pertuzumab demonstrated a highly statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) compared to taxane, trastuzumab and pertuzumab (THP) as a first-line treatment in patients with HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer. Results will be presented today during a special late-breaking oral session (LBA #1008) at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (#ASCO25) Annual Meeting.

ENHERTU is a specifically engineered HER2 directed DXd antibody drug conjugate (ADC) discovered by Daiichi Sankyo (TSE: 4568) and being jointly developed and commercialized by Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca (LSE/STO/Nasdaq: AZN).

In a pre-specified interim analysis, ENHERTU plus pertuzumab reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 44% versus THP (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.56; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.44-0.71; p<0.00001). Median PFS was 40.7 months (95% CI: 36.5-NC) with ENHERTU plus pertuzumab compared to 26.9 months (95% CI: 21.8-NC) for THP as assessed by blinded independent central review (BICR). The PFS benefit for ENHERTU plus pertuzumab versus THP was consistent across subgroups, including the prespecified stratification factors of de novo or recurrent disease, hormone receptor (HR) status and PIK3CA mutation status.

Investigator-assessed PFS demonstrated a median PFS of 40.7 months (95% CI: 36.5-NC) for ENHERTU plus pertuzumab compared to 20.7 months (95% CI: 17.3-23.5) for THP (HR: 0.49; 95% CI 0.39-0.61; nominal p-value <0.00001).

Confirmed objective response rate (ORR) with ENHERTU plus pertuzumab was 85.1% (95% CI: 81.2-88.5) versus 78.6% (95% CI: 74.1-82.5) with THP. There were 58 complete responses (CR) and 268 partial responses (PR) with ENHERTU plus pertuzumab compared to 33 CRs and 271 PRs with THP. Median duration of response (DOR) for ENHERTU plus pertuzumab exceeded three years (39.2 months) versus 26.4 months with THP.

Overall survival (OS) was not mature at the time of the interim analysis (16% maturity at data cut-off); however, interim OS data showed an early trend favoring the ENHERTU plus pertuzumab combination compared to THP (HR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.59-1.19). An additional investigational arm of the trial assessing ENHERTU monotherapy versus THP remains blinded to patients and investigators and will continue to the final PFS analysis.

“Patients with HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer often experience disease progression around two years after initiating standard of care first-line treatment,” said Sara Tolaney, MD, MPH, Chief of the Division of Breast Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Principal Investigator in the DESTINY-Breast09 trial. “With a median progression-free survival of more than three years, the DESTINY-Breast09 results show trastuzumab deruxtecan combined with pertuzumab has the potential to become a new first-line standard of care for these patients.”

The safety profile of ENHERTU plus pertuzumab in DESTINY-Breast09 was consistent with the known profiles of each individual therapy with no new safety concerns identified. Grade 3 or higher treatment related adverse events (TEAEs) occurred in 54.9% of patients in the ENHERTU plus pertuzumab arm and 52.4% of patients in the THP arm. The most common grade 3 or higher TEAEs occurring in 5% or more of patients treated with ENHERTU plus pertuzumab were neutropenia (23.9%), hypokalemia (10.2%), anemia (8.4%), fatigue (7.9%), diarrhea (6.8%), thrombocytopenia (6.3%) and nausea (5.0%). Interstitial lung disease (ILD) or pneumonitis events occurred in 12.1% of patients treated with ENHERTU plus pertuzumab as determined by an independent adjudication committee. The majority of ILD or pneumonitis events were low grade (grade 1 [n=17; 4.5%] or grade 2 [n=27; 7.1%]). There were two grade 5 ILD events (0.5%) in the ENHERTU plus pertuzumab arm.

“ENHERTU continues to transform the treatment of metastatic breast cancer with the first new data in more than a decade to demonstrate improved outcomes for a broad population of patients with HER2 positive disease compared to THP in the first-line setting,” said Ken Takeshita, MD, Global Head, R&D, Daiichi Sankyo. “DESTINY-Breast09 shows that initiating treatment with ENHERTU in combination with pertuzumab at the time of metastatic diagnosis can delay disease progression.”

“Bringing ENHERTU earlier in the treatment of HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer may represent an important advancement for patients. The DESTINY-Breast09 trial showed the combination of ENHERTU and pertuzumab in the first-line setting substantially increased the amount of time before a patient’s cancer progressed compared to standard of care and nearly doubled the number of patients showing no signs of disease on imaging,” said Susan Galbraith, MBBChir, PhD, Executive Vice President, Oncology Hematology R&D, AstraZeneca. “Establishing a strong therapeutic response as soon as metastatic disease is diagnosed is critical given that about one in three patients do not receive further treatment after progressing in the first-line setting.”

Patients in the DESTINY-Breast09 trial received no prior chemotherapy or HER2 directed therapy in the metastatic setting. Approximately half (52.2%) of the patients in the ENHERTU plus pertuzumab arm had de novo disease, meaning the breast cancer was first diagnosed in the metastatic setting. Median duration of follow-up was nearly 2.5 years (29.2 months). As of the data cut-off of February 26, 2025, 302 (39.6%) patients remained on treatment, with 174 (45.8%) patients receiving ENHERTU plus pertuzumab and 128 (33.4%) patients receiving THP.

Summary of DESTINY-Breast09 ENHERTU Plus Pertuzumab Arm Results

About DESTINY-Breast09
DESTINY-Breast09 is a global, multicenter, randomized, open-label, phase 3 trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of ENHERTU (5.4 mg/kg) either alone or in combination with pertuzumab versus standard of care THP (a taxane [docetaxel or paclitaxel], trastuzumab and pertuzumab) as a first-line treatment in patients with HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer.

Patients were randomized 1:1:1 to receive either ENHERTU monotherapy with a pertuzumab matching placebo; ENHERTU in combination with pertuzumab; or THP. Randomization was stratified by prior treatment (de novo metastatic disease versus progression from early-stage disease), hormone receptor (HR) status and PIK3CA mutation status.

The primary endpoint of DESTINY-Breast09 is PFS as assessed by blinded independent central review in both the ENHERTU monotherapy and ENHERTU combination arms. Secondary endpoints include investigator-assessed PFS, OS, objective response rate, duration of response, pharmacokinetics and safety.

DESTINY-Breast09 enrolled 1,157 patients across multiple sites in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America. For more information about the trial, visit ClinicalTrials.gov.

About HER2 Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the second most common cancer and one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide.¹ More than two million breast cancer cases were diagnosed in 2022, with more than 665,000 deaths globally.¹ While survival rates are high for those diagnosed with early breast cancer, only about 30% of patients diagnosed with or progress to metastatic disease are expected to live five years following diagnosis.²

HER2 is a tyrosine kinase receptor growth-promoting protein expressed on the surface of many types of tumors including breast cancer.³ HER2 protein overexpression may occur as a result of HER2 gene amplification.⁴ Approximately one in five cases of breast cancer are considered HER2 positive.⁵

HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer is an aggressive disease driven by overexpression or amplification of HER2 that affects 15% to 20% of patients with metastatic breast cancer.⁶ While HER2 targeted therapies have improved outcomes, prognosis remains poor with most patients experiencing disease progression within two years of first-line treatment with THP, which has been the standard of care for more than a decade.^4,7,8,9 Further, approximately one in three patients do not go on to receive treatment following first-line therapy due to disease progression or death.^10,11

About ENHERTU
ENHERTU (trastuzumab deruxtecan; fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki in the U.S. only) is a HER2 directed ADC. Designed using Daiichi Sankyo’s proprietary DXd ADC Technology, ENHERTU is the lead ADC in the oncology portfolio of Daiichi Sankyo and the most advanced program in AstraZeneca’s ADC scientific platform. ENHERTU consists of a HER2 monoclonal antibody attached to a number of topoisomerase I inhibitor payloads (an exatecan derivative, DXd) via tetrapeptide-based cleavable linkers.

ENHERTU (5.4 mg/kg) is approved in more than 80 countries worldwide for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2 positive (immunohistochemistry [IHC] 3+ or in-situ hybridization (ISH)+) breast cancer who have received a prior anti-HER2-based regimen, either in the metastatic setting or in the neoadjuvant or adjuvant setting, and have developed disease recurrence during or within six months of completing therapy based on the results from the DESTINY-Breast03 trial.

ENHERTU (5.4 mg/kg) is approved in more than 80 countries worldwide for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2 low (IHC 1+ or IHC 2+/ISH-) breast cancer who have received a prior systemic therapy in the metastatic setting or developed disease recurrence during or within six months of completing adjuvant chemotherapy based on the results from the DESTINY-Breast04 trial.

ENHERTU (5.4 mg/kg) is approved in more than 30 countries for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic hormone receptor (HR) positive, HER2 low (IHC 1+ or IHC 2+/ISH-) or HER2 ultralow (IHC 0 with membrane staining) breast cancer, as determined by a locally or regionally approved test, that have progressed on one or more endocrine therapies in the metastatic setting based on the results from the DESTINY-Breast06 trial.

ENHERTU (5.4 mg/kg) is approved in more than 60 countries worldwide for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic NSCLC whose tumors have activating HER2 (ERBB2) mutations, as detected by a locally or regionally approved test, and who have received a prior systemic therapy based on the results from the DESTINY-Lung02 and/or DESTINY-Lung05 trials. Continued approval in China and the U.S. for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial.

ENHERTU (6.4 mg/kg) is approved in more than 70 countries worldwide for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2 positive (IHC 3+ or IHC 2+/ISH+) gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma who have received a prior trastuzumab-based regimen based on the results from the DESTINY-Gastric01, DESTINY-Gastric02 and/or DESTINY-Gastric06 trials. Continued approval in China for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial.

ENHERTU (5.4 mg/kg) is approved in Brazil, Israel, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, U.K. and the U.S. for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2 positive (IHC 3+) solid tumors who have received prior systemic treatment and have no satisfactory alternative treatment options based on efficacy results from the DESTINY-PanTumor02, DESTINY-Lung01 and DESTINY-CRC02 trials. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial.

About the ENHERTU Clinical Development Program
A comprehensive global clinical development program is underway evaluating the efficacy and safety of ENHERTU as a monotherapy or in combination or sequentially with other anti-cancer therapies across multiple HER2 targetable cancers.

About the Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca Collaboration
Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca entered into a global collaboration to jointly develop and commercialize ENHERTU in March 2019 and DATROWAY^® in July 2020, except in Japan where Daiichi Sankyo maintains exclusive rights for each ADC. Daiichi Sankyo is responsible for the manufacturing and supply of ENHERTU and DATROWAY.

About the ADC Portfolio of Daiichi Sankyo
The Daiichi Sankyo ADC portfolio consists of seven ADCs in clinical development crafted from two distinct ADC technology platforms discovered in-house by Daiichi Sankyo.

The ADC platform furthest in clinical development is Daiichi Sankyo’s DXd ADC Technology where each ADC consists of a monoclonal antibody attached to a number of topoisomerase I inhibitor payloads (an exatecan derivative, DXd) via tetrapeptide-based cleavable linkers. The DXd ADC portfolio currently consists of ENHERTU, a HER2 directed ADC, and DATROWAY, a TROP2 directed ADC, which are being jointly developed and commercialized globally with AstraZeneca. Patritumab deruxtecan (HER3-DXd), a HER3 directed ADC, ifinatamab deruxtecan (I-DXd), a B7-H3 directed ADC, and raludotatug deruxtecan (R-DXd), a CDH6 directed ADC, are being jointly developed and commercialized globally with Merck & Co., Inc, Rahway, NJ, USA. DS-3939, a TA-MUC1 directed ADC, is being developed by Daiichi Sankyo.

The second Daiichi Sankyo ADC platform consists of a monoclonal antibody attached to a modified pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) payload. DS-9606, a CLDN6 directed PBD ADC, is the first of several planned ADCs in clinical development utilizing this platform.

Ifinatamab deruxtecan, patritumab deruxtecan, raludotatug deruxtecan, DS-3939 and DS-9606 are investigational medicines that have not been approved for any indication in any country. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

ENHERTU U.S. Important Safety Information

Indications
ENHERTU is a HER2-directed antibody and topoisomerase inhibitor conjugate indicated for the treatment of adult patients with:

• Unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive (IHC 3+ or ISH positive) breast cancer who have received a prior anti-HER2-based regimen either:
  • In the metastatic setting, or
  • In the neoadjuvant or adjuvant setting and have developed disease recurrence during or within six months of completing therapy

• Unresectable or metastatic:
  • Hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-low (IHC 1+ or IHC 2+/ISH-) or HER2-ultralow (IHC 0 with membrane staining) breast cancer, as determined by an FDA-approved test, that has progressed on one or more endocrine therapies in the metastatic setting
  • HER2-low (IHC 1+ or IHC 2+/ISH-) breast cancer, as determined by an FDA-approved test, who have received a prior chemotherapy in the metastatic setting or developed disease recurrence during or within 6 months of completing adjuvant chemotherapy

• Unresectable or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have activating HER2 (ERBB2) mutations, as detected by an FDA-approved test, and who have received a prior systemic therapy
  
  This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on objective response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial.

• Locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive (IHC 3+ or IHC 2+/ISH positive) gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma who have received a prior trastuzumab-based regimen

• Unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive (IHC 3+) solid tumors who have received prior systemic treatment and have no satisfactory alternative treatment options
  
  This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on objective response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial.

Contraindications
None.

Warnings and Precautions
Interstitial Lung Disease / Pneumonitis
Severe, life-threatening, or fatal interstitial lung disease (ILD), including pneumonitis, can occur in patients treated with ENHERTU. A higher incidence of Grade 1 and 2 ILD/pneumonitis has been observed in patients with moderate renal impairment. Advise patients to immediately report cough, dyspnea, fever, and/or any new or worsening respiratory symptoms. Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of ILD. Promptly investigate evidence of ILD. Evaluate patients with suspected ILD by radiographic imaging. Consider consultation with a pulmonologist. For asymptomatic ILD/pneumonitis (Grade 1), interrupt ENHERTU until resolved to Grade 0, then if resolved in ≤28 days from date of onset, maintain dose. If resolved in >28 days from date of onset, reduce dose 1 level. Consider corticosteroid treatment as soon as ILD/pneumonitis is suspected (e.g., ≥0.5 mg/kg/day prednisolone or equivalent). For symptomatic ILD/pneumonitis (Grade 2 or greater), permanently discontinue ENHERTU. Promptly initiate systemic corticosteroid treatment as soon as ILD/pneumonitis is suspected (e.g., ≥1 mg/kg/day prednisolone or equivalent) and continue for at least 14 days followed by gradual taper for at least 4 weeks.

HER2-Positive, HER2-Low, and HER2-Ultralow Metastatic Breast Cancer, HER2-Mutant NSCLC, and Solid Tumors (Including IHC 3+) (5.4 mg/kg)
In patients with metastatic breast cancer, HER2-mutant NSCLC, and other solid tumors treated with ENHERTU 5.4 mg/kg, ILD occurred in 12% of patients. Median time to first onset was 5.5 months (range: 0.9 to 31.5). Fatal outcomes due to ILD and/or pneumonitis occurred in 0.9% of patients treated with ENHERTU.

HER2-Positive Locally Advanced or Metastatic Gastric Cancer (6.4 mg/kg)
In patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma treated with ENHERTU 6.4 mg/kg, ILD occurred in 10% of patients. Median time to first onset was 2.8 months (range: 1.2 to 21).

Neutropenia
Severe neutropenia, including febrile neutropenia, can occur in patients treated with ENHERTU. Monitor complete blood counts prior to initiation of ENHERTU and prior to each dose, and as clinically indicated. For Grade 3 neutropenia (Absolute Neutrophil Count [ANC] <1.0 to 0.5 x 10⁹/L), interrupt ENHERTU until resolved to Grade 2 or less, then maintain dose. For Grade 4 neutropenia (ANC <0.5 x 10⁹/L), interrupt ENHERTU until resolved to Grade 2 or less, then reduce dose by 1 level. For febrile neutropenia (ANC <1.0 x 10⁹/L and temperature >38.3º C or a sustained temperature of ≥38º C for more than 1 hour), interrupt ENHERTU until resolved, then reduce dose by 1 level.

HER2-Positive, HER2-Low, and HER2-Ultralow Metastatic Breast Cancer, HER2-Mutant NSCLC, and Solid Tumors (Including IHC 3+) (5.4 mg/kg)
In patients with metastatic breast cancer, HER2-mutant NSCLC, and other solid tumors treated with ENHERTU 5.4 mg/kg, a decrease in neutrophil count was reported in 65% of patients. Nineteen percent had Grade 3 or 4 decreased neutrophil count. Median time to first onset of decreased neutrophil count was 22 days (range: 2 to 939). Febrile neutropenia was reported in 1.2% of patients.

HER2-Positive Locally Advanced or Metastatic Gastric Cancer (6.4 mg/kg)
In patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma treated with ENHERTU 6.4 mg/kg, a decrease in neutrophil count was reported in 72% of patients. Fifty-one percent had Grade 3 or 4 decreased neutrophil count. Median time to first onset of decreased neutrophil count was 16 days (range: 4 to 187). Febrile neutropenia was reported in 4.8% of patients.

Left Ventricular Dysfunction
Patients treated with ENHERTU may be at increased risk of developing left ventricular dysfunction. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) decrease has been observed with anti-HER2 therapies, including ENHERTU. Assess LVEF prior to initiation of ENHERTU and at regular intervals during treatment as clinically indicated. Manage LVEF decrease through treatment interruption. When LVEF is >45% and absolute decrease from baseline is 10-20%, continue treatment with ENHERTU. When LVEF is 40-45% and absolute decrease from baseline is 20%, interrupt ENHERTU and repeat LVEF assessment within 3 weeks. If LVEF of 20% is confirmed, permanently discontinue ENHERTU. Permanently discontinue ENHERTU in patients with symptomatic congestive heart failure. Treatment with ENHERTU has not been studied in patients with a history of clinically significant cardiac disease or LVEF <50% prior to initiation of treatment.

HER2-Positive, HER2-Low, and HER2-Ultralow Metastatic Breast Cancer, HER2-Mutant NSCLC, and Solid Tumors (Including IHC 3+) (5.4 mg/kg)
In patients with metastatic breast cancer, HER2-mutant NSCLC, and other solid tumors treated with ENHERTU 5.4 mg/kg, LVEF decrease was reported in 4.6% of patients, of which 0.6% were Grade 3 or 4.

HER2-Positive Locally Advanced or Metastatic Gastric Cancer (6.4 mg/kg)
In patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma treated with ENHERTU 6.4 mg/kg, no clinical adverse events of heart failure were reported; however, on echocardiography, 8% were found to have asymptomatic Grade 2 decrease in LVEF.

Embryo-Fetal Toxicity
ENHERTU can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise patients of the potential risks to a fetus.

Media Contacts:

Global/US:
Jennifer Brennan
Daiichi Sankyo
jennifer.brennan@daiichisankyo.com
+1 908 900 3183 (mobile)

Japan:
Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd.
DS-PR_jp@daiichisankyo.com

Investor Relations Contact:
DaiichiSankyoIR_jp@daiichisankyo.com