Experts from NYU Langone Health’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, an NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, present their latest clinical findings and research at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, held May 30 to June 3 in Chicago.

Among these presentations are:

• a phase 2 study of a combination immune checkpoint inhibitor regimen in patients with advanced melanoma
• a phase 1 study testing a combination therapy for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer

“Our commitment to cutting-edge research allows us to provide our patients the best, most up-to-date care possible,” said Alec Kimmelman, MD, PhD, director of the Perlmutter Cancer Center, and the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter professor at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. “Our integrated approach to individualized patient care combines the expertise of our medical care teams with innovative research and clinical trials to provide patients with access to the latest treatment options and advances in cancer care.”

NYU Langone faculty are presenting more that 20 posters and oral abstracts and leading several education sessions at the meeting. Below is a snapshot of some of the work that will be discussed.

A New Combination Therapy for Advanced Melanoma Shows Promise

A phase 2 clinical trial, led by Janice Mehnert, MD, a professor of medicine and director of the melanoma medical oncology program at Perlmutter Cancer Center, examined the safety and effectiveness of adding sarilumab, a targeted therapy drug that blocks the interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor, to a combination of immunotherapies in patients with advanced melanoma. IL-6 is a molecule that promotes inflammation, and by inhibiting it, the team aimed to minimize harmful immune reactions common with combination checkpoint therapies. Thirty-three patients with stage 3 or 4 melanoma received the regimen. Researchers hoped to reduce serious immune-related side effects while maintaining or improving cancer response rates.

After nearly 10 months of follow-up, the combination showed promising results. The tumor response rate at 24 weeks was 63.6 percent, and only 12.1 percent of patients experienced serious immune-related side effects—significantly lower than what is typically seen with similar treatment combinations. Additionally, fewer patients discontinued treatment due to toxicity.

The study concludes that adding sarilumab may offer a safer, effective approach to treating advanced melanoma and supports ongoing research to confirm these findings in larger, randomized trials. These findings will be presented by Dr. Mehnert, who is also the associate director of clinical research at Perlmutter Cancer Center, during the Melanoma/Skin Cancers Rapid Oral Abstract Session on June 2 at 9:45AM CT in E451, Abstract 9510.

Early Results Show Improved Survival Rates in Patients with Metastatic Prostate Cancer

David R. Wise, MD, PhD, an associate professor of medicine and urology and the service chief of the genitourinary medical oncology program at Perlmutter Cancer Center, will present initial results from the PRESERVE-006 trial, which explored a potential treatment for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer using a combination of two therapies: gotistobart and Lu 177. Gotistobart is a novel antibody therapy designed to reduce immune-suppressing cells in tumors, while Lu 177 is a targeted radiation therapy already shown to improve survival. The phase 1 portion of the trial aimed to find safe and effective dose levels for combining these treatments in patients whose cancer had progressed despite hormone therapy, said Dr. Wise, who is also the co-director of the Department of Medicine’s clinical investigator track at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

The early findings from 24 patients showed the drug combination was generally well tolerated, with most side effects rated as mild to moderate. Trial participants who received lower doses saw promising reductions in PSA levels—a key marker of prostate cancer activity—suggesting the treatment may be effective. These results support moving forward with a phase 2 trial to optimize dosing and further evaluate benefits for patients.

These findings will be presented at the Poster Session on June 2 in Hall A, Abstract 5067.

Umbrella Study Looks at Safety and Efficacy of Hormone Therapy Combination for ER+/HER2 Advanced and Metastatic Breast Cancer

Researchers led by Nancy Chan, MD, an associate professor of medicine and clinical research director of breast cancer at Perlmutter Cancer Center, conducted an umbrella study that focuses on elacestrant, an oral selective estrogen receptor degrader, as a potential treatment for patients with ER+/HER2- advanced or metastatic breast cancer (mBC). Patients with this diagnosis often develop resistance to endocrine therapy after treatment with CDK4/6 inhibitors, leading to disease progression. The study explores combining elacestrant with targeted agents such as abemaciclib, ribociclib, palbociclib, everolimus, capivasertib, and alpelisib to address different resistance mechanisms and provide an all-oral treatment option.

The study includes data from the ongoing ELEVATE trial, which evaluates the safety and efficacy of elacestrant combinations. Results show that elacestrant combinations are generally well tolerated, with adverse events consistent with the known profiles of the companion drugs. For example, neutropenia was observed with CDK4/6 inhibitors, while stomatitis and rash were common with everolimus. Importantly, elacestrant did not increase the risk of adverse events when combined with these agents, supporting its use as a backbone for combination therapies. The study highlights elacestrant’s potential to delay the need for chemotherapy or antibody-drug conjugate-based regimens in mBC patients.

Overall, the findings suggest that elacestrant could become a versatile partner for targeted therapies, offering an effective and convenient oral treatment option for patients with advanced breast cancer. Further research is ongoing to refine dosing and evaluate long-term outcomes.

This study will be presented by Dr. Chan during the Breast Cancer—Metastatic poster session in Hall A on June 2, Abstract 1079.

About NYU Langone Health

NYU Langone Health is a fully integrated health system that consistently achieves the best patient outcomes through a rigorous focus on quality that has resulted in some of the lowest mortality rates in the nation. Vizient Inc. has ranked NYU Langone No. 1 out of 115 comprehensive academic medical centers across the nation for three years in a row, and U.S. News & World Report recently placed nine of its clinical specialties among the top five in the nation. NYU Langone offers a comprehensive range of medical services with one high standard of care across seven inpatient locations, its Perlmutter Cancer Center, and more than 320 outpatient locations in the New York area and Florida. With $14.2 billion in revenue this year, the system also includes two tuition-free medical schools, in Manhattan and on Long Island, and a vast research enterprise.

Media Inquiries

Ryan Dziuba
Phone: 646-581-8548
Ryan.Dziuba@NYULangone.org