Eli Lilly Reports Clinical Trial Data for Ovarian Cancer Drug Candidate
Eli Lilly presented phase data at the ESMO 2026 conference showing that the antibody-drug conjugate sofetabart mipitecan demonstrated clinical activity in platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer patients.
At the 2026 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) congress, Eli Lilly released initial clinical data for sofetabart mipitecan (Sofe-M), an investigational antibody-drug conjugate targeting folate receptor-alpha (FRα). In a trial involving patients with platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer, the drug was administered in combination with bevacizumab.
According to the data, the regimen achieved a 79% confirmed objective response rate and a 100% disease control rate. Researchers noted that the therapeutic effect remained consistent regardless of the patients' FRα expression levels. Furthermore, the trial included patients who had previously undergone PARP inhibitor therapy, a population often difficult to treat due to developed resistance.
The findings represent an attempt by Lilly to compete in the expanding field of targeted oncology treatments. While these results suggest potential efficacy, the company must now move to larger, confirmatory trials to establish safety profiles and long-term durability in comparison to existing standard-of-care options.