A new targeted therapy called ozuriftamab vedotin (Oz-V) is showing strong potential for patients with advanced HPV-related throat cancer who have already tried multiple treatments. This drug is a type of antibody-drug conjugate designed to deliver chemotherapy directly to cancer cells.
What makes Oz-V unique is its ability to activate only in the acidic environment of tumors. It targets the ROR2 receptor, which is more common in HPV-positive cancers, while largely avoiding healthy tissue. Once inside the tumor, it releases a toxic payload that can also kill nearby cancer cells.
In a Phase 2 study of heavily pretreated patients, about 42% saw their tumors shrink, and 92% had their disease controlled. Patients lived a median of 11.6 months, with cancer progression delayed by about 4.7 months. Side effects were relatively manageable, with serious treatment-related effects occurring in 15% of patients.
Following earlier fast track support from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a larger Phase 3 trial is now planned to compare this drug with standard treatments. If successful, Oz-V could become a new option for patients with limited alternatives.