About the Study: Is combined inhibition of programmed cell death 1 protein (PD-1) and lymphocyte activation gene 3 (LAG-3) added to standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) safe and effective in (formerly HER2)-negative early-stage breast cancer at high risk of recurrence? This phase 2 randomized clinical trial including 78 participants with -negative breast cancer found that combining cemiplimab and fianlimab with paclitaxel-based NAC improved rates of pathologic complete response in all participants, including those with triple-negative and hormone receptor−positive subtypes. Patients positive for the ImPrint immune signature were highly sensitive to the combination, providing a potential biomarker of treatment response. These results indicate that combined PD-1 and LAG-3 inhibition warrants further investigation in -negative breast cancer.
Corresponding Author: Claudine Isaacs, MD, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, 3800 Reservoir Rd NW, Corridor B, Room 414A, Washington, DC 20007 (isaacsc@georgetown.edu).
10.1001/jamaoncol.2026.2576
To access the embargoed study: Visit our JAMA Network Media Center website at this link
Link to the article in your story
We encourage you to link out to this article in your story using the link below. It includes an access token that will give free access to the article for your readers up to one year after publication. (The link will be live after the article publishes and embargo is lifted.)
Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including full author list, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support.
Journal
JAMA Oncology
JAMA Network Media Relations
JAMA Network
mediarelations@jamanetwork.org
Journal
JAMA Oncology
