ASCO To EHA 2026: From Incremental Gains To Early Impact: What Biotechs Must Do Next

By Matt Simmons, Senior Director, Oncology Strategy

The 2026 ASCO and EHA meetings sent a clear message: the biggest gains in cancer drug development now come from treating patients earlier, not from small improvements in late-stage disease. Landmark results included a roughly 60% reduction in risk of death in pancreatic cancer, an 83% reduction in the risk of recurrence or death when a lung cancer drug moved into the post-surgery setting, and genomic testing that identified breast cancer patients who can safely skip chemotherapy. Dual-target immune therapies (bispecifics) are now being tested head-to-head against standard care in first-line trials, and a measure of leftover cancer cells (minimal residual disease, or MRD) is helping shape smaller, faster studies.

The conversation has also shifted from "does it work?" to "can it scale?" CAR-T cell therapy shows strong, lasting benefit, yet few eligible patients in Europe receive it because of referral delays, manufacturing limits, and site complexity. If your oncology program is still built around late-line, incremental benefit, this piece will help you rethink your trial design. It offers a practical framework for planning earlier-line studies, building speed into timelines, and making access part of your strategy from day one, so your therapy stays relevant by the time results arrive.