On January 9, 2026, Nature Cancer published the complete Phase III clinical trial (SCORES) data for China’s innovative Class 1 anti-tumor drug, Suvemcitug.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s43018-025-01085-z
The study confirmed that Suvemcitug, in combination with chemotherapy, significantly extends both progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.
Ovarian cancer has the highest mortality rate among gynecological malignancies. In China, approximately 61,100 new cases are diagnosed and about 32,600 deaths occur annually. Current primary treatment involves surgery combined with platinum-based chemotherapy. However, most patients relapse after initial treatment, and a significant proportion develop “platinum-resistant” disease. Treatment options for patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer are limited, and the prognosis remains extremely poor.
Suvemcitug is a recombinant humanized anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody. It exerts its anti-tumor effects by inhibiting tumor angiogenesis. The molecule features a differentiated epitope design, resulting in stronger inhibition of the VEGF pathway compared with similar antibodies. Consequently, its clinically recommended dosage is approximately one-seventh that of comparable drugs.
The SCORES study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase III clinical trial led by Professor Wu Lingying of the National Cancer Center/Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College Hospital. The trial enrolled 421 patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer across 55 centers in China. It is the world’s first Phase III study to demonstrate that an anti-angiogenic drug can provide a statistically significant overall survival benefit in the overall population of patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. The key results are as follows:
Significantly extended PFS: Patients receiving Suvemcitug plus chemotherapy achieved a median PFS more than double that of patients receiving chemotherapy alone (5.5 months vs. 2.7 months, P < 0.001), representing a 54% reduction in the risk of disease progression or death.
Significantly extended OS: The Suvemcitug group showed a statistically significant improvement in overall survival compared with the placebo group (15.3 months vs. 14.0 months, P = 0.03), corresponding to a 23% reduction in the risk of death.
Benefit across patient subgroups: Clinical benefit was observed regardless of prior treatment with PARP inhibitors or anti-angiogenic agents, reflecting potential applicability to real-world treatment pathways in China.
Favorable safety profile: The most common adverse reactions included decreased neutrophil count, decreased white blood cell count, and hypertension. No new safety signals were identified.
Developed by Simcere Zaiming, a subsidiary of Simcere Pharmaceutical Group, Suvemcitug is China’s first vascular-targeted therapy indicated for the entire population of patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. Based on high-quality evidence from the SCORES study, the drug received marketing approval from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) in June 2025. It was subsequently included in China’s National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL), effective January 1, 2026, providing a high-quality, effective, and accessible new treatment option for patients facing limited therapeutic choices after developing platinum resistance.
The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) for Ovarian Cancer—China Version, released in November 2025, list Suvemcitug as a preferred regimen for platinum-resistant recurrent ovarian cancer. In addition, Suvemcitug has been incorporated into several other authoritative Chinese guidelines and consensus documents, including:
Chinese Guidelines for Clinical Practice in Gynecologic Oncology 2025 (Category I recommendation as a preferred regimen)
Chinese Expert Consensus on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Platinum-Resistant Recurrent Ovarian Cancer 2025 (Strong Grade A recommendation)
Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO) Guidelines for Ovarian Cancer 2025 (Level II recommendation)