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Research table: Trop-2 antibody-drug conjugates for metastatic breast cancer treatment

This summary table contains detailed information about research studies. Summary tables are a useful way to look at the science behind many breast cancer guidelines and recommendations. However, to get the most out of the tables, it’s important to understand some key concepts. Learn how to read a research table.

Introduction: Trop-2 antibody-drug conjugates combine a Trop-2 antibody and a chemotherapy drug. This combination allows the targeted delivery of the chemotherapy to cancer cells that express Trop-2.

Sacituzumab govitecan (Trodelvy) is a combination of a Trop-2 antibody and the chemotherapy drug SN-38. Datopotamab deruxtecan (Datroway) is a combination of a Trop-2 antibody and the chemotherapy drug deruxtecan.

Sacituzumab govitecan

Sacituzumab govitecan is used to treat hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancers that have already been treated with hormone therapy in the past and with at least 2 other drug therapies in the metastatic setting.

Sacituzumab govitecan is also used to treat metastatic triple negative breast cancers that have already been treated with at least 2 drug therapies (at least one in the metastatic setting).

Compared to chemotherapy, sacituzumab govitecan may give people more time before the cancer worsens and may improve survival.

Learn more about sacituzumab govitecan, including its side effects.

Datopotamab deruxtecan

Datopotamab deruxtecan is used to treat hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancers that have already been treated with both hormone therapy and chemotherapy in metastatic setting.

Compared to chemotherapy, datopotamab deruxtecan may give people more time before the cancer worsens.

Learn more about datopotamab deruxtecan, including its side effects.

Study selection criteria: Randomized clinical trials with 200 or more participants.

Study

Study Population
(number of participants)

Drug(s) Used

Objective Response Rate—Percent who Responded to Treatment
(95% CI)

Overall Survival
Better with
Trop-2 Antibody-Conjugate Compared to Chemotherapy

Randomized clinical trials – sacituzumab govitecan

TROPiCS-02 study [1]

543
people with triple negative metastatic breast cancer

Sacituzumab govitecan alone

20%

Yes

 

 

Chemotherapy alone (eribulin, vinorelbine, capecitabine, or gemcitabine)

14%

 

ASCENT trial [2-3]

529*
people with triple negative metastatic breast cancer

Sacituzumab govitecan alone

31%

Yes†

 

 

Chemotherapy alone (eribulin, vinorelbine, capecitabine, or gemcitabine)

4%

 

Randomized clinical trials – datopotamab deruxtecan

TROPION-Breast01 [4]

732
people with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer

Datopotamab deruxtecan alone

36%

NA

 

 

Chemotherapy alone (eribulin, vinorelbine, capecitabine, or gemcitabine)

23%

NA = Not available at this time

* 61 of the 529 participants had brain metastases.

† Compared to people who got chemotherapy, people who got sacituzumab govitecan were less likely to die (from breast cancer or other causes), with a hazard ratio of 0.51 (0.42-0.63). Among participants who did not have brain metastases, overall survival at 1 year was 46% among those who got sacituzumab govitecan and 19% among those who got chemotherapy.

References

  1. Rugo HS, Bardia A, Marmé F, et al. Overall survival with sacituzumab govitecan in hormone receptor-positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative metastatic breast cancer (TROPiCS-02): a randomised, open-label, multicentre, phase 3 trial. Lancet. 402(10411):1423-1433, 2023.
  2. Bardia A, Hurvitz SA, Tolaney SM, et al. for the ASCENT Clinical Trial Investigators. Sacituzumab govitecan in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. N Engl J Med. 384(16):1529-1541, 2021.
  3. Bardia A, Rugo HS, Tolaney SM, et al. Final results from the randomized phase III ASCENT clinical trial in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer and association of outcomes by human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 and trophoblast cell surface antigen 2 expression. J Clin Oncol. 42(15):1738-1744, 2024.
  4. Bardia A, Jhaveri K, Im SA, et al. for the TROPION-Breast01 Investigators. Datopotamab deruxtecan versus chemotherapy in previously treated inoperable/metastatic hormone receptor-positive human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative breast cancer: primary results from TROPION-Breast01. J Clin Oncol. 43(3):285-296. 2025.

Updated 01/27/25