AACR: Clinical trial presentations feature advances across cancer care

MD Anderson Research News April 16, 2026

• Early results for first-in-human and first-in-class therapies including an integrin inhibitor and a genetically engineered tumor infiltrating lymphocyte therapy
• ctDNA monitoring may be changing treatment options for patients
• Next-generation targeted therapies may allow de-escalation of treatment

Researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center will present initial data from six clinical trials during minisymposia at this week’s American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2026. These abstracts will feature updates on novel targeted and cell therapies, ctDNA for monitoring responses to treatment, and new approaches allowing for de-escalation of therapy.

In addition to the studies below, forthcoming press releases will feature notable oral and plenary session abstracts on promising clinical trial results. More information on all UT MD Anderson AACR Annual Meeting content can be found on MDAnderson.org/AACR.

Can zanidatamab allow patients with early stage HER2+ breast cancer to avoid chemotherapy? (Abstract CT012)

Funda Meric-Bernstam, M.D., chair of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics, will present data from an investigator-initiated Phase II trial evaluating zanidatamab, a HER2-targeted bispecific antibody from Jazz Pharma, as an option to potentially allow some early-stage breast cancer patients to avoid chemotherapy. Meric-Bernstam will present trial results April 18.

“Targeted therapies are becoming so effective that it’s time to start asking if every patient needs the added chemotherapy,” Meric-Bernstam said. “This trial is an important step toward answering that question, because being able to take even a subset of patients off chemotherapy would significantly improve their quality of life during treatment.”

Are there effective biomarkers associated with response to perioperative nivolumab in early-stage lung cancer? (Abstract CT015) 

Tina Cascone, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, will present additional findings from the CheckMate 77T trial. The Food and Drug Administration approved perioperative nivolumab in 2024 for the treatment of resectable non-small cell lung cancer based on the initial study results. This presentation will focus on insights derived from biomarker analyses conducted in the trial and their potential to improve outcome prediction. Tina Cascone will present these findings April 18.    

“What we’re learning is that while genomic testing provides valuable insight, it should not be considered in isolation,” Cascone said. “We performed a comprehensive, integrated biomarker analysis to better understand what factors may impact outcomes in the setting of perioperative treatment for patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer. We found that in some patients whose tumors harbor genomic alterations historically associated with worse prognosis, perioperative immunotherapy may still provide benefit, reinforcing the need for improved methods to identify this patient population. We also saw that combined assessment of ctDNA dynamics over time and pathological complete response may provide a more nuanced approach to risk stratification.” 

How can the integrin inhibitor PLN-101095 promote better responses to immunotherapy? (Abstract CT002)

Timothy Yap, M.B.B.S, Ph.D., professor of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics and vice president and head of clinical development in UT MD Anderson’s Therapeutics Discovery division, will present the first data disclosure from the first-in-class therapy, PLN-101095, an integrin αVβ8 and αVβ1 inhibitor from Pliant Therapeutics. Yap will present the findings April 18. 

“This is a unique approach to change the way the tumor microenvironment reacts to immunotherapy, so as to overcome drug resistance,” Yap said. “Many cancers upregulate a specific protein that can suppress responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors, and that protein is activated by integrins. PLN-101095 works by inhibiting the integrins themselves, which should then promote responsiveness to immunotherapy. This has significant potential to stimulate or reinvigorate a cancer immune response, improving the outcomes and lives of our patients.”

Can a genetically engineered TIL demonstrate effectiveness in melanoma? (Abstract CT028)

Rodabe Amaria, M.D., professor of Melanoma Medical Oncology will present the initial data from a trial of genetically engineered tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy in solid tumors. The cell therapy, from KSQ Therapeutics, uses CRISPR/Cas9 technology to inactivate a specific gene in patient tumor-derived lymphocytes before they are reintroduced. Amaria will present the data April 19.

“TIL therapies have been successful in the treatment of metastatic melanoma, but they face hurdles for wider effectiveness in solid tumors,” Amaria said. “In preclinical work, KSQ identified a gene that, when inactivated, seemed to significantly increase the anti-tumor activity of T cells. We will be presenting the initial data on use of this gene-edited TIL therapy to test its safety and efficacy in melanoma.”

Can adjuvant immunotherapy prevent recurrence in patients with HR+ inflammatory breast cancer? (Abstract CT172)

Ranjan Upadhyay, M.D., Ph.D., oncology fellow in Cancer Medicine, will present findings of a Phase II trial investigating the potential effectiveness of immunotherapy in preventing recurrence after surgery in hormone receptor positive inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), a very high-risk disease with limited treatment options. Upadhyay will present the data April 20.

“The first question we wanted to answer was whether we could better predict recurrence using tools, like monitoring ctDNA,” Upadhyay said. “From there, based on other biomarkers in the blood and in the resected tumor, is this a setting where immunotherapy could be effective? We know that IBC can be hard to treat once we detect clinical signs of progression, but we hypothesized that there were some patients for whom we could potentially prevent the cancer from coming back by delivering immunotherapy earlier.”

Does the KRAS G12C inhibitor elisrasib offer benefits over first-generation inhibitors? (Abstract CT303)

Kanwal Raghav, M.B.B.S., M.D, professor of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, will present data on the next-generation KRAS G12C inhibitor elisrasib from D3 Bio. The study will provide clarity on whether elisrasib can overcome some of the limitations from emerging treatment resistance faced by first-generation KRAS inhibitors in certain cancer types. Raghav will present the findings April 21.

“First-generation KRAS inhibitors have had limited clinical efficacy in colorectal and pancreatic cancers, largely due to the rapid emergence of resistance,” Raghav said. “What’s encouraging is that a new generation of KRAS-targeted therapies are now being developed to address this challenge directly. The current study in patients who have already had multiple treatments is an important step forward and is designed to advance therapy for patients with very few current options.”