Tennessee Oncology Researchers Help Lead Global Trial of Next-Generation Lung Cancer Therapy

PR Newswire

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 25, 2026

Research Conducted at Tennessee Oncology’s Greco-Hainsworth Centers for Research Contributes to Study Showing Longer Overall Survival with Next-Generation KRAS G12C Therapy

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Researchers at Tennessee Oncology served as investigators in a global Phase III clinical trial in which an investigational targeted therapy extended overall survival compared with currently approved treatments for patients with previously treated KRAS G12C-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The findings, which were presented today at the 2026 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress and published in The New England Journal of Medicine, add to the evidence supporting a potential new treatment option for this difficult-to-treat form of lung cancer.

Wade Iams, MD, MSCI, a medical oncologist and researcher at Tennessee Oncology’s Greco-Hainsworth Centers for Research, served as a principal investigator for the Phase III Krascendo 1 clinical trial, sponsored by Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, which evaluated investigational divarasib against currently approved KRAS G12C inhibitors sotorasib and adagrasib. The Krascendo 1 study is the first and only global head-to-head study to evaluate a next-generation KRAS G12C inhibitor versus approved first-generation KRAS G12C inhibitors.

Tennessee Oncology operates one of the most active community-based clinical trial programs in the country, giving patients access to lung cancer research studies close to home. Tennessee Oncology is a founding practice of OneOncology, the physician-led national partnership for independent medical practices, and a member of the OneOncology Research Network.

The Krascendo 1 study found that patients treated with investigational divarasib had a 42% lower risk of disease progression or death and a 44% lower risk of overall death compared with those receiving the first-generation therapies. Median overall survival was 17.7 months with divarasib compared with 12.0 months for sotorasib or adagrasib. The study also showed longer progression-free survival and nearly twice the objective response rate with divarasib.

The study authors characterized the findings as having practice-changing potential for patients with previously treated KRAS G12C-mutated NSCLC.

“Clinical research is not something that should be conducted only at major academic medical centers,” said Dr. Iams. “When researchers conduct trials in community practices, we bring promising treatments directly to patients where they receive their care, while also enrolling a broader and more representative patient population. That diversity strengthens the science and helps us better understand how treatments will work in the real world. It also gives patients access to cutting-edge therapies without requiring them to travel long distances to participate in research.”

A New Approach to KRAS-Driven Lung Cancer

KRAS is one of the most frequently mutated genes in lung cancer, and the G12C mutation occurs in approximately 14% of patients with NSCLC. While the development of first-generation KRAS G12C inhibitors represented a significant advance, patients whose disease progresses after treatment continue to face limited options.

Divarasib is a next-generation KRAS G12C inhibitor designed to more selectively bind to the KRAS G12C protein. Divarasib is an investigational medicine and has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or any other regulatory authority.

The Krascendo 1 study included 338 adults with previously treated, locally advanced or metastatic KRAS G12C-mutated NSCLC. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either divarasib or one of the two approved first-generation KRAS G12C inhibitors.

The study’s findings represent another step forward in the development of precision medicine for lung cancer patients and demonstrate the potential of targeted therapies to extend survival for patients whose cancers are driven by specific genetic alterations.

About Tennessee Oncology:
Tennessee Oncology, one of the nation’s largest community-based cancer care practices, is home to one of the leading clinical trial networks in the country. Established in 1976 in Nashville, Tennessee Oncology’s mission remains unchanged: To provide access to high-quality cancer care and the expertise of clinical research for all patients, at convenient locations within their community and close to their home. Our growing network of physicians and locations is based on this mission. For more information, visit www.tnoncology.com.