World-renowned physicians and researchers from City of Hope®, one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States, delivered 49 presentations, including new findings on emerging treatment strategies across blood cancers and solid tumors, at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology® (ASCO) Annual Meeting held May 29 to June 2 in Chicago.
The research presented by City of Hope demonstrated how precision medicine is becoming a reality across cancer types, giving care teams new insight to deliver smarter therapies, improve outcomes and move the field forward. “Cancer care is entering a new phase where understanding the biology of each patient’s disease is just as important as the treatment itself,” said Marcel van den Brink, M.D., Ph.D., City of Hope chief physician executive.
Highlights by cancer type are below.
Blood cancer
Elizabeth Budde, M.D., Ph.D., executive medical director of the Enterprise Immune Effector Cell Program at City of Hope, presented updated data from a phase 3 trial showing that the combination of mosunetuzumab, a bispecific antibody, and polatuzumab vedotin, an antibody-drug conjugate, improves outcomes for patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma who are not eligible for autologous stem cell transplant.
With a median follow-up of more than two years, the combination demonstrated an objective response rate of 70.3%, compared with 40.0% for standard therapy, and significantly reduced the risk of disease progression. A key focus of this updated analysis was outcomes by line of therapy. Among patients who received treatment in the second-line setting, the combination produced higher response rates, deeper remissions and longer durations of response compared with both later-line patients and those who received chemotherapy.
“These results support the growing role of bispecific antibody-based combinations as an alternative to traditional chemotherapy,” said Dr. Budde. “We are especially encouraged by the durability of responses in earlier lines of therapy, where improving long-term outcomes is critical for every patient.”
Breast cancer
Hope Rugo, M.D., division chief of breast medical oncology and director of the Women's Cancers Program at City of Hope, presented two posters involving potential breast cancer treatments. A world-renowned expert in clinical trial design and execution, Dr. Rugo reported on a phase 3 study of zovegalisib, an experimental oral precision therapy given in combination with targeted therapies, for patients with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer with a PIK3CA mutation. PIK3CA is one of the most frequently mutated genes in human solid tumors. Earlier trials of zovegalisib demonstrated encouraging antitumor activity.
Dr. Rugo also presented a poster on results from a phase 3 randomized trial investigating the use of a therapeutic cancer vaccine in combination with a vaccine booster for high-risk early-stage triple-negative breast cancer patients. The study found the treatment to be well tolerated, with a safety profile similar to standard of care.
Colorectal cancer
Medical oncologist Marwan Fakih, M.D., deputy director of the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center and medical director of the Briskin Center for Clinical Research, has a growing interest in combining immune checkpoint blockade with anti-angiogenic signaling — a therapeutic mechanism that disrupts the creation of new blood vessels — to deepen responses and improve durability in first-line metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).
Dr. Fakih was an author on a trial-in-progress abstract for the HARMONi‑GI3 phase 3 global clinical trial, which is evaluating ivonescimab, a novel, potential first-in-class investigational bispecific antibody, in combination with chemotherapy, versus a standard targeted therapy in the first-line setting for patients with mCRC. Phase 2 results of ivonescimab plus chemotherapy have been promising, showing a 70.8% objective response rate in 48 evaluable patients.
More than a dozen clinical trials are currently investigating ivonescimab, which was developed by Summit Therapeutics. Results from another trial presented at ASCO, HARMONi-6, reinforced growing enthusiasm around the bispecific antibody and next-generation immunotherapy approaches, with the therapy showing strong overall survival results.
Kidney cancer
Rahul Winayak, M.D., a postdoctoral fellow at City of Hope, presented an oral abstract examining how gut microbiome composition may influence how patients respond to immunotherapy combinations in metastatic renal cell carcinoma, pointing to a potential biomarker that could help guide treatment selection in the future.
Results from a combined analysis of two randomized phase 1 trials evaluating standard-of-care immune checkpoint inhibitor regimens with or without the addition of CBM588, a live biotherapeutic designed to modulate the gut microbiome, showed that patients who received the biotherapeutic achieved an objective response rate of 66.7%, compared with 20% among those receiving standard therapy alone. This work supports growing interest in biologic factors beyond the tumor that may shape treatment outcomes.
“These findings suggest the microbiome may play a direct role in shaping immunotherapy outcomes,” said Dr. Winayak. “If validated in larger studies, this approach could help guide treatment decisions and improve outcomes for patients with kidney cancer.”
A randomized phase 3 trial is underway to further evaluate this strategy. The microbiome is a rising focus at City of Hope, highlighted by a recent symposium that convened federal health leaders and top cancer centers to accelerate progress in the field.
Liver cancer
Daneng Li, M.D., gastrointestinal medical oncologist at City of Hope, was an author on an abstract for an ongoing phase 1/2 study that is evaluating tegavivint, a first-in-class small-molecule inhibitor that targets a key driver (Wnt pathway activation) in many liver cancers that have historically been difficult to treat.
Early findings from the study show evidence of target engagement, suggesting the drug is affecting the intended biological pathway, which has been a key challenge in prior efforts to target Wnt signaling. Thus far, the therapy has demonstrated clinical activity in patients who have Wnt pathway mutations, with an objective response rate of 22%, disease control rate of 89% and median progression-free survival of eight months in patients treated earlier in their disease course.
“Targeting the Wnt pathway has long been a major challenge in oncology, but these data suggest we may finally be making progress,” said Dr. Li. “With further validation, this approach could meaningfully expand treatment options and provide a potential targeted therapy approach to improve outcomes for patients with advanced liver cancer.”
Prostate cancer
Tanya Dorff, M.D., FASCO, a genitourinary medical oncologist at City of Hope, presented findings from a phase 1, first-in-human study of ABBV-969, a dual-targeting antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that binds to two proteins commonly found in advanced prostate cancer. ADCs are one of the most prominent long-term themes shaping oncology's future.
Among patients with measurable disease, the therapy achieved an objective response rate of 45%. Reductions in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels were also common, with 67% of patients achieving a PSA50 response and 28% achieving deeper PSA declines of 90% or greater. The study also demonstrated a manageable safety profile.
“We are seeing early signals that this targeted approach can deliver meaningful responses, even in heavily pretreated patients,” said Dr. Dorff, whose work reflects ongoing efforts to improve tumor targeting through dual‑antigen ADC design, aimed at addressing disease variation in advanced prostate cancer. “The next step will be to better understand how to position this therapy to further improve outcomes.”
Impact beyond presentations
In addition to providing critical information through dozens of abstract and poster presentations, City of Hope experts participated in numerous discussions, panels, and educational sessions. For example, Christine Lovly, M.D., Ph.D., FASCO, division chief of thoracic medical oncology, served as a discussant for a plenary session examining targeted therapy in RET fusion–positive lung cancer, a rare disease that has a high rate of spreading to the brain. Dr. Lovly is an internationally respected lung cancer expert and physician scientist whose research has helped advance targeted lung cancer treatments and other options for patients around the world.
Recognition and honors
John Carpten, Ph.D., City of Hope’s chief scientific officer, was named the recipient of the 2026 Allen Lichter Visionary Leader Award from ASCO. A nationally recognized expert in cancer genomics, precision medicine and health disparities research, Dr. Carpten provides strategic leadership for City of Hope’s research enterprise and in 2022 became the first African American chair of the National Institutes of Health’s National Cancer Advisory Board.
Steven Rosen, M.D., received the inaugural Lifetime Cancer Maverick Award from the Association of Value-Based Cancer Care, a new honor that recognizes individuals whose lifetime of leadership, innovation and impact has meaningfully advanced cancer care and improved patient outcomes. The award was presented during a reception held in conjunction with the ASCO Annual Meeting.
Richard T. Lee, M.D., accepted the Clinical Innovation Award from Healio | HemOnc Today on behalf of City of Hope’s National Clinical Trials System. The award recognizes innovations that transform hematology and oncology practice and improve patient care through new approaches to clinical trial access, delivery and value-based care.
Dr. Dorff was named a Fellow of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (FASCO), an honor recognizing extraordinary, sustained leadership and meaningful contributions to the oncology community. She joins two other physicians — Arjun Gupta, M.D., medical oncologist, City of Hope Phoenix, and Walter Stadler, M.D., chief clinical officer, City of Hope Chicago — who were named fellows in the past year. The distinction highlights City of Hope’s continued impact on oncology practice and patient outcomes worldwide.
Making headlines
As prominent thought leaders at ASCO, City of Hope experts have been featured across many top-tier national and leading trade media outlets. Faculty and leaders participated in more than 60 interviews throughout the meeting, generating more than 77 original stories to date. Notable coverage includes Bloomberg, STAT and Endpoints News, where City of Hope experts provided insightful thought leadership on high-profile data and emerging trends presented throughout the meeting.
Sumanta (Monty) Kumar Pal, M.D., FASCO, co-director of City of Hope's Kidney Cancer Program reported live from the conference via the "On the Edge of Breakthrough: Voices of Cancer Research" podcast.
He spoke with Alan Bryce, M.D., chief clinical officer at City of Hope Phoenix, about the importance of precision medicine for prostate cancer and the growth of the CAR T cell transplant and clinical trial programs in Phoenix; lung cancer expert Kristin Higgins, M.D., chief clinical officer for City of Hope Atlanta who commented on the exciting increase in drug development for non-small cell lung cancers; and Joseph Mikhael, M.D., a myeloma physician and professor in the clinical genomics and therapeutics division at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), part of City of Hope, who published the first-ever guidelines for myeloma for ASCO in 2019 and second, updated set at this year's conference.
“Year after year, City of Hope researchers bring forward research that moves cancer care closer to where it needs to be, more precise, more effective and more personal for patients,” said Marcel van den Brink, M.D., Ph.D., City of Hope chief physician executive. “Our strong presence at ASCO 2026 reflects the depth and breadth of City of Hope’s scientific leadership and our commitment to translating discovery into real progress for people facing cancer.”
Extra takeaways
In addition to inspiring presentations from a wide range of City of Hope researchers from across the system, other ASCO participants revealed exciting advancements that could make their way to City of Hope locations in the future.
- Practice-changing pancreatic cancer data demonstrated a significant survival benefit for daraxonrasib, a RAS-targeted therapy developed by Revolution Medicines, in a disease area that has seen few meaningful advances in recent decades. The audience for the plenary session in Chicago erupted in a standing ovation in the middle of the presentation — a virtually unheard-of response at ASCO.
- Multiple therapies developed in China generated high-profile data and increasingly competed head-to-head with established Western standards of care.
- Early research exploring the potential role of GLP-1s in cancer care is investigating the impact of obesity and weight-loss medications on cancer risk, progression and outcomes, sparking interest well beyond the oncology community.
- Precision medicine remains an ongoing and promising focus in oncology as companies leverage biomarkers to better match patients with the right treatments and, in some cases, avoid unnecessary therapy.