Clinical trials have shown that the drug, known as amivantamab, can halt or significantly slow the progression of the disease, giving patients new hope in the fight against one of the most aggressive types of cancer.
In a global trial involving patients from 11 countries with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, all participants received immunotherapy and conventional chemotherapy, and 86 patients were then given amivantamab alone.
The results showed that more than three-quarters of patients who received the injection benefited clinically, as their cancer shrank or stopped growing. The average duration of disease control was 6.8 months, and 62% of patients continued receiving treatment until July 2025, with mild to moderate side effects reported.
Presenting the results at the European Congress of Medical Oncology in Berlin, the researchers described Amifantamab as a "smart triple-action therapy" and a "significant step forward" in the treatment of this type of cancer.
Amifantamab works through three integrated mechanisms:
Blocking the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which is responsible for stimulating the growth of cancer cells.
Disrupting the MET pathway that cells use to resist treatment (a cellular pathway that plays an important role in cell growth and tissue regeneration, but can be exploited by cancer cells to accelerate their spread and resist treatment).
Stimulating the immune system to recognize and attack the tumor.
According to the researchers, this multi-pronged approach makes the drug more effective in controlling advanced cancer and combating relapse.
Study participants include Carl Walsh, 59, from Birmingham, who was diagnosed with tongue cancer in May 2024.
Walsh says, "After chemotherapy and immunotherapy failed, I joined the new trial. I'm now in my seventh cycle of treatment, and the improvement is remarkable. The swelling is down, the pain is less, and the side effects are minimal. Sometimes I forget I have cancer."
Professor Kevin Harrington, an expert in biological cancer therapies at the Institute of Cancer Research and a consultant oncologist at the Royal Marsden, explained that the drug represents the first triple-acting treatment to be trialled in head and neck cancer patients whose disease has recurred after treatment.
He added: "Unlike traditional treatments that require lengthy hospital visits, Amifantamab is administered as a simple subcutaneous injection, making it faster, more convenient, and potentially easier to administer in the future in outpatient clinics or even at home."
Professor Claire Isaacs, Dean of Academic and Research Affairs at the same institute, emphasized that these results highlight "the urgent need for more effective and accessible treatments," noting that Amifantamab represents "a real step toward improving patients' quality of life."
Head and neck cancer is an umbrella term for several types of cancer affecting the mouth, throat, larynx, nose, sinuses, and salivary glands. Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption were previously thought to be the main risk factors, but recent research suggests that the human papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for up to 70% of cases. The spread of the virus, which is transmitted through direct contact, including oral sex, is associated with higher rates of infection, particularly among younger people.
