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Global Confirmatory Phase 3 DeLLphi-304 Trial Showed IMDELLTRA Reduced Risk of Death by 40% Compared to Chemotherapy
Underscores IMDELLTRA as a Recognized Standard of Care Treatment for Patients With Extensive Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer That Has Progressed
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., Nov. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted full approval to IMDELLTRA® (tarlatamab-dlle) for the treatment of adult patients with extensive stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) with disease progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy. The decision to convert IMDELLTRA's prior accelerated approval to a full approval is based on data from the global Phase 3 DeLLphi-304 study. Additionally, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) were recently updated to include tarlatamab as the only Category 1 preferred treatment option for adult patients with ES-SCLC with disease progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy.1*
The global Phase 3 DeLLphi-304 study met its primary endpoint, demonstrating that IMDELLTRA reduced the risk of death by 40% and significantly extended median overall survival (OS) by more than five months compared to standard of care (SOC) chemotherapy as a treatment for patients with ES-SCLC who progressed on or after one line of platinum-based chemotherapy (median OS: 13.6 vs. 8.3 months; hazard ratio (HR), 0.60; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.47, 0.77; P < 0.001).2
"The FDA's decision reinforces IMDELLTRA as a recognized standard of care for people living with extensive stage small cell lung cancer whose disease progressed on or after frontline therapy," said Jay Bradner, M.D., executive vice president, Research and Development, at Amgen. "We are committed to delivering transformative medicines for patients facing challenging cancers, and we are currently focused on rapidly developing IMDELLTRA in earlier stages of disease and earlier lines of therapy for small cell lung cancer patients."
"For far too long, people living with small cell lung cancer had few options once their first treatment stopped working," said Laurie Fenton Ambrose, co-founder, president, and CEO, GO2 for Lung Cancer. "Today's full approval is an important step forward, reinforcing long-awaited progress for patients facing this devastating disease."
The safety profile for IMDELLTRA in DeLLphi-304 was consistent with its known profile, with fewer Grade 3 or greater adverse events in the IMDELLTRA arm than in the chemotherapy arm (54% vs 80%). The most common Grade 3 or greater treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were neutropenia (4%) and lymphopenia (4%) with IMDELLTRA and anemia (28%) and neutropenia (22%) with SOC chemotherapy. Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) with IMDELLTRA primarily occurred after the first two doses and was primarily low grade (42% Grade 1; 13% Grade 2; 1% Grade 3). No Grade 4 or Grade 5 CRS events were reported.2
"Due to its distinctive biology and aggressive nature, small cell lung cancer has long been particularly challenging to treat, with limited progress compared to many other cancers. After years of research efforts, DeLLphi-304 was the first global Phase 3 trial to demonstrate a significant survival benefit over chemotherapy in its setting, leading to NCCN Guidelines® Category 1 status for tarlatamab and further demonstrating the validity of this treatment approach in small cell lung cancer," said Charles M. Rudin, M.D., Ph.D., deputy director, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and principal investigator.* "Importantly, data from DeLLphi-304 reflected in today's approval also equip physicians with a greater understanding of managing treatment with bispecific T-cell engager therapy."
Amgen's robust IMDELLTRA development program includes the DeLLphi clinical trials, which evaluate IMDELLTRA as a monotherapy and as part of combination regimens, including in both earlier stages of SCLC and earlier lines of treatment.
About the Phase 3 DeLLphi-304 Study
DeLLphi-304 is a global Phase 3, randomized, controlled, open-label clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of IMDELLTRA as a treatment for patients living with SCLC who progressed on or after a single line of platinum-based chemotherapy.3 Five hundred and nine patients were randomized to receive either IMDELLTRA or local SOC chemotherapy (topotecan in all countries except Japan; lurbinectedin in the U.S., Canada, Australia, Singapore, Korea; and amrubicin in Japan).3,4 The primary outcome measure of the trial is OS.3 Key secondary outcome measures include progression-free survival (PFS) and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) including disease-related symptoms, physical function, and quality of life.3 Results from DeLLphi-304 were reviewed as a late-breaking presentation at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting and simultaneously published in The New England Journal of Medicine.2,5
About Tarlatamab Clinical Trials
Tarlatamab is being investigated in multiple studies including DeLLphi-303, a Phase 1b study investigating tarlatamab in combination with SOC therapies in first-line ES-SCLC; DeLLphi-304, a randomized Phase 3 study comparing tarlatamab monotherapy with SOC chemotherapy in second-line treatment of SCLC; DeLLphi-305, a randomized Phase 3 study comparing tarlatamab in combination with durvalumab vs. durvalumab alone as first-line maintenance treatment in ES-SCLC; DeLLphi-306, a randomized placebo-controlled Phase 3 study of tarlatamab following concurrent chemoradiotherapy in limited-stage SCLC; DeLLphi-308, a Phase 1b study evaluating subcutaneous tarlatamab in second-line or later ES-SCLC; DeLLphi-309, a Phase 2 study evaluating alternative intravenous dosing regimens with tarlatamab in second-line ES-SCLC; DeLLphi-310, a Phase 1b study of tarlatamab in combination with YL201 with or without anti-programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) in patients with ES-SCLC; DeLLphi-311, a Phase 1b study of IMDELLTRA in combination with etakafusp alfa (AB248), a novel CD8+ T-cell selective interleukin-2 (IL-2), in patients with ES-SCLC; and DeLLphi-312, a Phase 3 study evaluating tarlatamab as an induction and maintenance therapy in first-line treatment of ES-SCLC in combination with carboplatin, etoposide and durvalumab.6
For more information, please visit www.tarlatamabclinicaltrials.com.
About Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC)
SCLC is one of the most aggressive and devastating forms of solid tumor cancers. In the United States, the five-year relative survival rate for SCLC is 5-10% across all stages combined.7 Each year, SCLC accounts for approximately 13-15% of the more than 2.4 million cases of lung cancer diagnosed worldwide, including around 227,000 cases in the United States.8-10 Despite initial high response rates to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy, most patients quickly relapse within months and require subsequent treatment options.9
About IMDELLTRA® (tarlatamab-dlle)
IMDELLTRA is a first-in-class targeted immunotherapy engineered by Amgen researchers to bind to both DLL3 on tumor cells and CD3 on T cells, thereby activating T cells to kill DLL3-expressing SCLC cells. This results in the formation of a cytolytic synapse with lysis of the cancer cell.11,12 DLL3 is a protein that is expressed on the surface of SCLC cells in ~85-96% of patients with SCLC, but is minimally expressed on healthy cells, making it an exciting target.13,14
INDICATION
IMDELLTRA® (tarlatamab-dlle) is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with extensive stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) with disease progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
WARNING: CYTOKINE RELEASE SYNDROME and NEUROLOGIC TOXICITY including IMMUNE EFFECTOR CELL-ASSOCIATED NEUROTOXICITY SYNDROME
WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS
ADVERSE REACTIONS
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION: Important Dosing Information
Please see IMDELLTRA® full Prescribing Information , including BOXED WARNINGS.
About Amgen
Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative medicines to help millions of patients in their fight against some of the world's toughest diseases. More than 40 years ago, Amgen helped to establish the biotechnology industry and remains on the cutting-edge of innovation, using technology and human genetic data to push beyond what's known today. Amgen is advancing a broad and deep pipeline that builds on its existing portfolio of medicines to treat cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, inflammatory diseases and rare diseases.
In 2024, Amgen was named one of the "World's Most Innovative Companies" by Fast Company and one of "America's Best Large Employers" by Forbes, among other external recognitions. Amgen is one of the 30 companies that comprise the Dow Jones Industrial Average®, and it is also part of the Nasdaq-100 Index®, which includes the largest and most innovative non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market based on market capitalization.
For more information, visit Amgen.com and follow Amgen on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and Threads.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the current expectations and beliefs of Amgen. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including any statements on the outcome, benefits and synergies of collaborations, or potential collaborations, with any other company (including BeOne Medicines Ltd. or Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd.), the performance of Otezla® (apremilast), our acquisitions of ChemoCentryx, Inc. or Horizon Therapeutics plc (including the prospective performance and outlook of Horizon's business, performance and opportunities, and any potential strategic benefits, synergies or opportunities expected as a result of such acquisition), as well as estimates of revenues, operating margins, capital expenditures, cash, other financial metrics, expected legal, arbitration, political, regulatory or clinical results or practices, customer and prescriber patterns or practices, reimbursement activities and outcomes, effects of pandemics or other widespread health problems on our business, outcomes, progress, and other such estimates and results. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, including those discussed below and more fully described in the Securities and Exchange Commission reports filed by Amgen, including our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent periodic reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K. Unless otherwise noted, Amgen is providing this information as of the date of this news release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this document as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual results may differ materially from those we project. Our results may be affected by our ability to successfully market both new and existing products domestically and internationally, clinical and regulatory developments involving current and future products, sales growth of recently launched products, competition from other products including biosimilars, difficulties or delays in manufacturing our products and global economic conditions, including those resulting from geopolitical relations and government actions. In addition, sales of our products are affected by pricing pressure, political and public scrutiny and reimbursement policies imposed by third-party payers, including governments, private insurance plans and managed care providers and may be affected by regulatory, clinical and guideline developments and domestic and international trends toward managed care and healthcare cost containment. Furthermore, our research, testing, pricing, marketing and other operations are subject to extensive regulation by domestic and foreign government regulatory authorities. We or others could identify safety, side effects or manufacturing problems with our products, including our devices, after they are on the market. Our business may be impacted by government investigations, litigation and product liability claims. In addition, our business may be impacted by the adoption of new tax legislation or exposure to additional tax liabilities. Further, while we routinely obtain patents for our products and technology, the protection offered by our patents and patent applications may be challenged, invalidated or circumvented by our competitors, or we may fail to prevail in present and future intellectual property litigation. We perform a substantial amount of our commercial manufacturing activities at a few key facilities, including in Puerto Rico, and also depend on third parties for a portion of our manufacturing activities, and limits on supply may constrain sales of certain of our current products and product candidate development. An outbreak of disease or similar public health threat, and the public and governmental effort to mitigate against the spread of such disease, could have a significant adverse effect on the supply of materials for our manufacturing activities, the distribution of our products, the commercialization of our product candidates, and our clinical trial operations, and any such events may have a material adverse effect on our product development, product sales, business and results of operations. We rely on collaborations with third parties for the development of some of our product candidates and for the commercialization and sales of some of our commercial products. In addition, we compete with other companies with respect to many of our marketed products as well as for the discovery and development of new products. Discovery or identification of new product candidates or development of new indications for existing products cannot be guaranteed and movement from concept to product is uncertain; consequently, there can be no guarantee that any particular product candidate or development of a new indication for an existing product will be successful and become a commercial product. Further, some raw materials, medical devices and component parts for our products are supplied by sole third-party suppliers. Certain of our distributors, customers and payers have substantial purchasing leverage in their dealings with us. The discovery of significant problems with a product similar to one of our products that implicate an entire class of products could have a material adverse effect on sales of the affected products and on our business and results of operations. Our efforts to collaborate with or acquire other companies, products or technology, and to integrate the operations of companies or to support the products or technology we have acquired, may not be successful. There can be no guarantee that we will be able to realize any of the strategic benefits, synergies or opportunities arising from the Horizon acquisition, and such benefits, synergies or opportunities may take longer to realize than expected. We may not be able to successfully integrate Horizon, and such integration may take longer, be more difficult or cost more than expected. A breakdown, cyberattack or information security breach of our information technology systems could compromise the confidentiality, integrity and availability of our systems and our data. Our stock price is volatile and may be affected by a number of events. Our business and operations may be negatively affected by the failure, or perceived failure, of achieving our sustainability objectives. The effects of global climate change and related natural disasters could negatively affect our business and operations. Global economic conditions may magnify certain risks that affect our business. Our business performance could affect or limit the ability of our Board of Directors to declare a dividend or our ability to pay a dividend or repurchase our common stock. We may not be able to access the capital and credit markets on terms that are favorable to us, or at all.
CONTACT: Amgen, Thousand Oaks
Annik Allen, 917-288-9136 (media)
Elissa Snook, 609-251-1407 (media)
Casey Capparelli, 805-447-1746 (investors)
*NCCN Disclaimer: NCCN makes no warranties of any kind whatsoever regarding their content, use or application and disclaims any responsibility for their application or use in any way.
REFERENCES
SOURCE Amgen

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