Emerging drugs in breast cancer: a focus on antibody–drug conjugates and novel treatment options in luminal disease

Abstract

SummaryRecent years have seen the introduction of several new drugs and novel treatment approaches in early and advanced-stage breast cancer, leading to relevant improvements in outcome. Still, further reduction of recurrence risk in high-risk early breast cancer is required as is further improvement of disease control in metastatic disease, preferentially with parallel improvement of tolerability. Several antibody–drug conjugates are currently under clinical development, among them drugs targeting HER2, HER3 and TROP2; in addition, bispecific HER2-directed antibodies are a promising class of drugs. In hormone receptor-positive disease, optimizing treatment options in patients progressing on prior CDK4/6-inhibitor-based therapies is a focus of clinical research and recent developments encompass small molecule growth-factor pathway inhibitors such as the AKT inhibitor capivasertib, novel PIK3Ca inhibitors such as inavolisib as well as selective oestrogen receptor degraders and modulators. This article is intended as a short review of promising novel drugs in later clinical development in the field of breast cancer.