Welcome to the December edition of the newsletter from the SCLC Patient Gateway—your place for the latest research and information about small cell lung cancer (SCLC).

Recently, we have seen significant progress in treating SCLC — including two approvals by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

In November, the FDA announced the approval of the combination treatment of lurbinectedin plus atezolizumab as the first maintenance (ongoing) therapy for patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). This treatment is given after initial chemotherapy + immunotherapy to help keep cancer at bay. Lurbinectedin works by damaging cancer cell DNA while atezolizumab (an immunotherapy) removes the "brakes" that stop the immune system from attacking tumors.

This approval is based on the results of a phase 3 clinical trial showing patients in the control group lived for an average of 10.6 months compared to 13.2 months in the test group. Researchers also found that the maintenance treatment delayed cancer growth by approximately 46%.

Tarlatamab is an exciting bispecific T cell engager (BiTE) that acts like a cellular matchmaker, binding immune T cells on one side and cancer cells (via a protein called DLL3) on the other. This forces the cells together so the T-cells can destroy the cancer. The drug was granted accelerated approval in 2024, based on promising initial results. This allowed the drug to be available to patients as testing continued.

In November, the FDA granted full approval to use tarlatamab to treat patients whose cancer progressed during or after chemotherapy, based on a phase 3 clinical trial. Data showed tarlatamab improved overall survival by more than 5 months compared to chemotherapy.

Learn more about this revolutionary BiTE® therapy with our educational video and discussion guide.

Tarlatamab is also being studied in combination with different treatments and those initial results look promising.

Other treatment approaches for SCLC are also being developed.

We are making progress in treating brain metastasis in patients with ES-SCLC. A recent phase 2 study found that infinatamab deruxtecan (I-DXd) showed promise in treating brain metastases in ES-SCLC, with shrinkage of brain metastasis in 46.2% of patients enrolled. A phase 3 trial is underway.

More innovative breakthroughs are on the horizon. With continued support for research, we can expect exciting improvements for patients with SCLC to be discovered, developed, and approved.

Research News

Lung Cancer News Today
FDA Grants Full Approval to Tarlatamab in Small Cell Lung Cancer
Published November 21, 2025

eCancer
Tarlatamab improves symptoms and QoL over chemotherapy in previously treated small cell lung cancer
Published November 4, 2025

Targeted Oncology
IMforte Trial Maintenance Regimen Extends Survival for ES-SCLC
Published November 12, 2025

OncologyLive Online
Ifinatamab Deruxtecan Development Continues in Phase 3 Study After Robust Results in Pretreated ES-SCLC
Published November 12, 2025

ESMO Daily Reporter
Extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer: new approaches on the horizon?
Published October 17, 2025

Get Connected

Join Us for the SCLC Virtual Meetup
This is an easy way to build your community. On the third Wednesday of each month, you can connect with others who understand what it’s like to live with SCLC. The next SCLC Meetup is happening on December 17, 2025, at 2 pm ET. Register for free for this virtual meetup to get a confirmation email with details about how to join the virtual meeting. New attendees are always welcome and encouraged to join!

Can’t make it? Don’t worry, there’s a full list of virtual meetups to fit your schedule

Have You Seen?

BiTE Therapy: A New Way to Treat SCLC
As mentioned above, the FDA granted full approval to tarlatamab, an exciting first-in-class drug, to treat patients with ES-SCLC. Learn how this revolutionary BiTE therapy works in our educational video and be sure to check out the discussion guide for FAQs and questions to ask your care team.

Fireside Chats with Small Cell Smashers
The Small Cell Smashers and LUNGevity team up to bring you the latest news and breakthroughs in SCLC. Featuring experts in the field, our seasoned moderators — Misty Shields, MD, PhD, IU Health, and LUNGevity’s Ann Fish-Steagall, RN, BSN, SVP of Patient Services and Health Care Delivery — highlight a variety of topics specific to the needs of people diagnosed with SCLC:

Small Cell Lung Cancer: Not Small Anymore
Don’t miss the six exciting research projects focused on SCLC that were presented at this year’s World Conference on Lung Cancer. Upal Basu Roy, PhD, MPH, Executive Director of LUNGevity Research shares these important findings and what they mean for patients diagnosed with SCLC. Learn more.

Significant Weight Loss During Treatment   
Losing significant weight and muscle mass during lung cancer treatment is common. However, often these symptoms are not a side effect of treatment. They can be due to a condition called cachexia. Learn more about this condition—including who is at risk for it, how to recognize it, and what can be done to address the symptoms.

Highlights from the Biggest Research Conferences 
Throughout the year, LUNGevity brings you news from the most impactful oncology conferences so you can stay up to date on the progress and breakthroughs in lung cancer research and treatment. Check out our summer coverage of the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Stay tuned for upcoming highlights from the annual meeting of the European Society of Medical Oncology in Berlin, Germany.  

There is always so much more to explore on the SCLC Patient Gateway. 

If you were forwarded this email and you’d like to subscribe to this newsletter, you can sign up here.

If you are looking for more LUNGevity Foundation news, check out LUNGevity’s monthly newsletter.

If you need further assistance along your lung cancer journey, please email us at support@lungevity.org. Our team is always here to assist you.