AstraZeneca discontinues volrustomig lung cancer trial

AstraZeneca announced on August 17, 2026, that it is discontinuing the Phase III EVOLVE-Lung02 trial of volrustomig plus chemotherapy in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC). The decision followed a recommendation from an independent data monitoring committee, which found the combination was unlikely to meet its primary endpoints of progression-free survival or overall survival in patients with PD-L1 negative tumors. The trial enrolled 895 patients across 25 countries. The company stated that the safety profile was consistent with known profiles and no new safety signals were identified. This setback adds to a series of recent pipeline disappointments, including the failure of Wainua in a heart disease trial, the US rejection of camizestrant, and the late-stage failure of Ultomiris. Despite this, AstraZeneca reported positive results from two other late-stage lung cancer trials involving Tagrisso-Orpathys and Enhertu (developed with Daiichi Sankyo). The company reaffirmed its target of $80 billion in annual revenue by 2030 and its confidence in its pipeline. Shares rose slightly on the day, though they remain down over 16% year-to-date. Other Phase III trials of volrustomig in cervical cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, and mesothelioma will continue as planned.