NEJM original articles

Background. In previous treat-to-target trials, adjustments to the dose of basal insulin have been made at least weekly, according to fasting blood glucose levels. A fixed-dose regimen of insulin efsitora alfa (efsitora), a once-weekly basal insulin, may provide a benefit in adults with type 2 diabetes who have not received previous insulin therapy.

Methods. We conducted a 52-week, phase 3, open-label, treat-to-target trial involving adults with type 2 diabetes who had not previously received insulin therapy. Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive once-weekly efsitora or once-daily insulin glargine U100 (glargine). Treatment with efsitora was initiated as a single dose of 100 U administered once weekly, with dose adjustments made every 4 weeks, as needed, at fixed doses of 150, 250, and 400 U to achieve fasting blood glucose levels of 80 to 130 mg per deciliter. Doses of glargine were adjusted weekly or more often according to a standard algorithm to reach the same glycemic goals. The primary end point, tested for noninferiority (noninferiority margin, 0.4 percentage points), was the change from baseline in the glycated hemoglobin level at 52 weeks.

Results. A total of 795 participants underwent randomization. The mean glycated hemoglobin level decreased from 8.20% at baseline to 7.05% at week 52 with efsitora (least-squares mean change, -1.19 percentage points) and from 8.28% to 7.08% with glargine (least-squares mean change, -1.16 percentage points); the estimated between-group difference of -0.03 percentage points (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.18 to 0.12) confirmed the noninferiority of efsitora to glargine. Superiority was not shown (P = 0.68). The rate of combined clinically significant hypoglycemia (glucose level, <54 mg per deciliter) or severe hypoglycemia (level 3; requiring assistance for treatment) was lower with efsitora than with glargine (0.50 events per participant-year of exposure with efsitora vs. 0.88 with glargine; estimated rate ratio, 0.57 [95% CI, 0.39 to 0.84]). At week 52, the mean total weekly insulin dose was 289.1 U per week with efsitora and 332.8 U per week with glargine (estimated between-group difference, -43.7 U per week; 95% CI, -62.4 to -25.0); the median number of dose adjustments needed was 2 with efsitora and 8 with glargine.

Conclusions. In adults with type 2 diabetes who had not previously received insulin, once-weekly efsitora, administered in a fixed-dose regimen, was noninferior to once-daily glargine in reducing glycated hemoglobin levels. (Funded by Eli Lilly; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT05662332.).

Background. On the basis of phase 2 studies, trastuzumab deruxtecan was approved for patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive metastatic gastric cancer or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma who had previously received trastuzumab-based therapy. Ramucirumab plus paclitaxel is also a standard second-line treatment option regardless of HER2 status.

Methods. We conducted an international, randomized, phase 3 trial comparing second-line trastuzumab deruxtecan at a dose of 6.4 mg per kilogram of body weight with ramucirumab plus paclitaxel in patients with HER2-positive metastatic gastric cancer or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma confirmed on tumor biopsy conducted after the patient had progression while receiving trastuzumab-based therapy. The primary end point was overall survival. Secondary end points included progression-free survival, confirmed objective response (complete or partial response lasting ≥4 weeks), disease control, duration of response, and safety.

Results. Among 494 patients who had undergone randomization, overall survival was significantly longer with trastuzumab deruxtecan than with ramucirumab plus paclitaxel (median, 14.7 vs. 11.4 months; hazard ratio for death, 0.70; 95% confidence interval, 0.55 to 0.90; P = 0.004). Significant results were also seen with regard to progression-free survival (hazard ratio for disease progression or death, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.59 to 0.92) and confirmed objective response (in 44.3% of the patients in the trastuzumab deruxtecan group vs. 29.1% of those in the ramucirumab-paclitaxel group). The incidence of drug-related adverse events of any grade was 93.0% with trastuzumab deruxtecan and 91.4% with ramucirumab plus paclitaxel; the incidence of drug-related adverse events of grade 3 or higher was 50.0% and 54.1%, respectively. Adjudicated drug-related interstitial lung disease or pneumonitis occurred in 13.9% of the patients who received trastuzumab deruxtecan (grade 1 or 2 in 33 patients and grade 3 in 1) and in 1.3% of those who received ramucirumab plus paclitaxel (grade 3 in 2 patients and grade 5 in 1).

Conclusions. Trastuzumab deruxtecan led to significantly longer overall survival than ramucirumab plus paclitaxel among patients with HER2-positive metastatic gastric cancer or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma. Adverse events were common in both groups. Events of interstitial lung disease or pneumonitis with trastuzumab deruxtecan, a known risk, were mainly low-grade. (Funded by Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca; DESTINY-Gastric04 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04704934.).

Background. Tarlatamab, a bispecific delta-like ligand 3-directed T-cell engager immunotherapy, received accelerated approval for the treatment of patients with previously treated small-cell lung cancer. Whether tarlatamab is more effective than chemotherapy in the treatment of patients whose small-cell lung cancer has progressed during or after initial platinum-based chemotherapy is not known.

Methods. We conducted a multinational, phase 3, open-label trial to compare tarlatamab with chemotherapy as second-line treatment in patients with small-cell lung cancer whose disease had progressed during or after platinum-based chemotherapy. Patients were randomly assigned to receive tarlatamab or chemotherapy (topotecan, lurbinectedin, or amrubicin). The primary end point was overall survival. Key secondary end points were investigator-assessed progression-free survival and patient-reported outcomes. Results of the prespecified interim analysis (data-cutoff date, January 29, 2025) are reported.

Results. A total of 509 patients were randomly assigned to receive tarlatamab (254 patients) or chemotherapy (255 patients). Treatment with tarlatamab resulted in significantly longer overall survival than chemotherapy (median, 13.6 months [95% confidence interval {CI}, 11.1 to not reached] vs. 8.3 months [95% CI, 7.0 to 10.2]; stratified hazard ratio for death, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.77; P<0.001). Tarlatamab treatment also had a significant benefit with respect to progression-free survival and cancer-related dyspnea and cough as compared with chemotherapy. The incidence of adverse events of grade 3 or higher was lower with tarlatamab than with chemotherapy (54% vs. 80%), as was the incidence of adverse events resulting in treatment discontinuation (5% vs. 12%).

Conclusions. Treatment with tarlatamab led to longer overall survival than chemotherapy among patients with small-cell lung cancer whose disease had progressed during or after platinum-based chemotherapy. (Funded by Amgen; DeLLphi-304 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT05740566.).

Background. Malaria control and elimination is threatened by the spread of insecticide resistance and behavioral adaptation of vectors. Whether mass administration of ivermectin, a broad-spectrum antiparasitic drug that also kills mosquitoes feeding on treated persons, can reduce malaria transmission is unclear.

Methods. We conducted a cluster-randomized trial in Kwale, a county in coastal Kenya in which malaria is highly endemic and coverage and use of insecticide-treated nets are high. Clusters of household areas were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive mass administration of ivermectin (400 μg per kilogram of body weight) or albendazole (400 mg, active control) once a month for 3 consecutive months at the beginning of the "short rains" season. Children 5 to 15 years of age were tested for malaria infection monthly for 6 months after the first round of treatment. The two primary outcomes were the cumulative incidence of malaria infection (assessed among children 5 to 15 years of age) and of adverse events (assessed among all eligible participants). Analyses were performed with generalized estimating equations in accordance with the intention-to-treat principle.

Results. A total of 84 clusters comprising 28,932 eligible participants underwent randomization. The baseline characteristics of the participants were similar in the trial groups. Six months after the first round of treatment, the incidence of malaria infection was 2.20 per child-year at risk in the ivermectin group and 2.66 per child-year at risk in the albendazole group; the adjusted incidence rate ratio (ivermectin vs. albendazole) was 0.74 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.58 to 0.95, P = 0.02). The incidence of serious adverse events per 100 treatments did not differ significantly between the trial groups (incidence rate ratio, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.21 to 1.91).

Conclusions. Among children 5 to 15 years of age who were living in an area with high coverage and use of bed nets, ivermectin, administered once a month for 3 consecutive months, resulted in a 26% lower incidence of malaria infection than albendazole. No safety concerns were identified. (Funded by Unitaid; BOHEMIA ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04966702; Pan African Clinical Trial Registry number, PACTR202106695877303.).