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Clinical Impact, Technology Innovation, and Emerging Advances in Cell and Vaccine-Based Oncology
Gabriela Rosu, M.D., Vice President, Global Medical Affairs and Pharmacovigilance at Veristat, attended ASCO 2025 in person, taking part in key scientific sessions and abstract presentations. In this blog, Gabriela shares her perspective on the most impactful developments and what they mean for oncology research moving forward.
ASCO 2025 was, as always, an intense few days of promising data, new technologies, and emerging therapeutic advances. Amid the volume of data and excitement, a few presentations stood out for their potential to impact clinical practice— and for what they reinforce about how we conduct successful clinical trials.
Three studies in particular— across breast cancer, melanoma, and multiple myeloma— offered fresh insight into treatment options for patients facing limited or complex choices. The SERENA-6 trial introduced a strategy for early molecular progression monitoring in breast cancer using ctDNA. The C-144-01 study showed encouraging long-term durability of TILs cell therapy in metastatic melanoma in a category of patients who don’t have many treatment options left. And in multiple myeloma, the MagnetisMM-6 trial explored a bispecific antibody as part of a first-line treatment regimen for patients not eligible for transplant. Each demonstrated how early intervention, well-managed safety, and targeted study design can reshape the standard of care.
Watch Gabriela’s video describing the three studies:
👉 Protocols That Translate Promise Into Progress?
While new therapies continue to emerge, a study's strength still rests on the quality of its protocol. What these three trials had in common was a clear alignment between study objectives, patient outcomes, and regulatory potential.
Well-defined endpoints—such as progression-free survival, response durability, and early molecular detection—allowed investigators to evaluate meaningful benefit with confidence. Eligibility criteria were thoughtful and feasible, and safety monitoring plans were proactive without adding unnecessary burden. These design elements not only supported smooth study execution, but also positioned each therapy for faster clinical adoption.
👉 Leveraging AI for Clinical Decision Support: ASCO + Google
This year also saw the debut of the ASCO Guidelines Assistant, a new AI-powered tool developed with Google Cloud’s Vertex AI. The platform enables oncologists and researchers to access real-time, evidence-based responses based on ASCO’s comprehensive guidelines and publication library.
Listen as Gabriela outlines the benefits of this powerful tool:
For clinicians, this means faster decision-making with vetted information. For clinical researchers, it offers an efficient path to citations and source material when developing study concepts, protocols, or manuscripts. The tool is a promising example of how AI can enhance— not diminish— clinical expertise.
👉 What’s Next: Promising Early-Stage Therapies
Looking ahead, several investigational therapies presented at ASCO 2025 are worth watching. BioNTech’s bispecific antibody targeting PD-L1 and VEGF showed early signals of activity in mesothelioma and lung cancer. There was also growing interest in next-generation cancer vaccines and new formats of cell therapies in hard-to-treat indications like colorectal and pancreatic cancer.
Get Gabriela’s take on what to watch:
These platforms are still in early phases, but they will face the same expectations: a well-written protocol, clearly defined endpoints, and a practical safety framework that allows data to mature.
👉 Final Thoughts
ASCO 2025 reaffirmed a familiar truth: innovation moves quickly, but progress depends on structure. Whether the focus is a novel therapy, a diagnostic approach, or a new tool for clinical decision-making, what enables success is still the same— a sound protocol, anchored in patient outcomes and guided by real-world feasibility.
Good science starts with good design. That principle held true across the most impactful studies at this year’s meeting—and it will continue to guide the work ahead.
If you attended ASCO 2025, what were some of your observations? Please drop Gabriela a message here.
👉 Veristat’s Commitment to Oncology Excellence
At Veristat, we bring deep scientific insight, regulatory expertise, and operational excellence to every stage of oncology clinical development. Whether supporting early-phase trials, navigating complex regulatory pathways, or designing protocols that prioritize meaningful patient outcomes, our teams are dedicated to advancing innovative therapies from concept to approval. As the oncology landscape evolves, we remain committed to partnering with sponsors to deliver well-executed, high-impact studies that ultimately have a positive impact on patients' lives.
Reach out to us to learn more.