No effect on ovarian cancer:
Development of Nemvaleukin is stopped
In March 2025, Mural Oncology released disappointing news for patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.
The international phase 3 ARTISTRY-7 trial investigated whether a combination of two immunotherapies – nemvaleukin and pembrolizumab – is more effective than standard chemotherapy. Unfortunately, an interim analysis showed that the combination therapy did not prolong patient survival compared to chemotherapy.
The mean survival time was 10.1 months in the immunotherapy group and 9.8 months in the comparison group – a very small and therefore not statistically relevant difference. The study was therefore stopped prematurely and the development of the drug for this form of cancer was discontinued.
What is Nemvaleukin?
Nemvaleukin is an experimental drug that was originally developed to specifically activate the immune system against tumor cells – without the strong side effects of conventional immune activators. It has already been tested in several studies, including in black skin cancer (melanoma). There, too, the hoped-for therapeutic successes failed to materialize.
Consequences: Company discontinues development
A few weeks after the initial results, Mural Oncology announced that it would discontinue all clinical development of Nemvaleukin – including for other types of cancer such as melanoma. At the same time, the company is planning a drastic restructuring in terms of job cuts and possibly a sale or merger with another company.
Significance for patients
For patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, treatment remains a major challenge – new options are urgently needed. Despite this disappointment, the study is an important contribution to a better understanding of why some cancers, such as ovarian cancer, respond so poorly to immunotherapies.
Source: Mural Oncology press release 1 and press release 2 (the articles are in English)
