Zidesamtinib Demonstrates 93% Response Rate in TKI-Naive Patients With Advanced ROS1-Positive NSCLC

ARROS-1 data show durable systemic and intracranial activity, including a 100% intracranial response rate and a 70% intracranial complete response rate

SEOUL, Republic of Korea, Sept. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- New results from the global Phase I/II ARROS-1 trial showed clinically meaningful activity with zidesamtinib in patients with advanced or metastatic ROS1-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who had not previously received a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). The findings were presented at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) 2026 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC).

Among 94 efficacy-evaluable TKI-naive patients, the objective response rate by blinded independent central review was 94% (88 of 94 patients). The nine-month duration-of-response rate was 94%, and the 12-month duration-of-response rate was 86%.

Zidesamtinib also demonstrated substantial intracranial activity. Among 10 evaluable patients with central nervous system metastases, the intracranial objective response rate was 100%, including a 70% intracranial complete response rate. The nine-month intracranial duration-of-response rate was 100%, and the 12-month rate was 78%.

The global, single-arm, first-in-human ARROS-1 trial included a Phase II cohort of patients with locally advanced or metastatic ROS1-positive NSCLC who were naive to TKI therapy. Up to one prior line of chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy was permitted. Patients received zidesamtinib 100 mg once daily.

Across all lines of therapy, 532 patients with ROS1-positive NSCLC received zidesamtinib 100 mg once daily, including 183 who were TKI-naive. The study population was geographically diverse, with 35% of patients enrolled in the Asia-Pacific region, 33% in Europe and 32% in North America.

The most common treatment-related adverse events occurring in at least 15% of patients were peripheral edema (34%), increased weight (18%), increased blood creatine phosphokinase (18%), dysgeusia (17%) and increased aspartate aminotransferase (15%). Treatment-related adverse events led to dose reductions in 11% of patients and treatment discontinuation in 1%.

"Zidesamtinib demonstrated clinically meaningful activity in TKI-naive patients with ROS1-positive NSCLC, with a safety profile consistent with previous reports and low rates of dose reduction and discontinuation. The findings support continued investigation of zidesamtinib in earlier lines of therapy," said Alexander Drilon, M.D., of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York City.

About the IASLC

The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) is the only global organization dedicated solely to the study of lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies. Founded in 1974, the association's membership includes more than 10,000 lung cancer specialists across all disciplines in over 100 countries, forming a global network working together to conquer lung and thoracic cancers worldwide. The association also publishes the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, the primary educational and informational publication for topics relevant to the prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment of all thoracic malignancies. Visit www.iaslc.org for more information.

About the WCLC

The WCLC is the world's largest meeting dedicated to lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies, attracting nearly 7,000 researchers, physicians, and specialists from more than 100 countries. The goal is to increase awareness, collaboration and understanding of lung cancer, and to help participants implement the latest developments across the globe. The conference will cover a wide range of disciplines and unveil several research studies and clinical trial results. For more information, visit https://wclc.iaslc.org/.

SOURCE International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer