HERIZON-GEA-01 is a Phase III trial of first-line zanidatamab + chemotherapy ± tislelizumab vs trastuzumab + chemotherapy in HER2+ gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma. It improved OS (26.4 vs 19.2 months, HR 0.72) and PFS (12.4 vs 8.1 months). This 1L use is investigational — under FDA Priority Review, PDUFA Aug 25, 2026. Sponsor: Jazz Pharmaceuticals / BeiGene.
1L HER2-positive advanced/metastatic gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma (G/GEA)Ziihera + chemo + TevimbraASCO GI 2026 (#ASCOGI26)⚠ Investigational in 1L GEA — FDA Priority Review (PDUFA Aug 25, 2026)
SAME DRUG · DIFFERENT INDICATIONZanidatamab (Ziihera) is FDA-approved only in biliary tract cancer — this 1L gastroesophageal use is investigational
Zanidatamab (Ziihera™, Jazz Pharmaceuticals) is FDA-approved (accelerated approval, November 2024) only for previously-treated (2nd-line) HER2-positive biliary tract cancer. HERIZON-GEA-01 tests the same drug in a different, earlier setting — first-line HER2-positive gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma — where it is not yet approved. This 1L GEA use is investigational and is under FDA Priority Review, with a PDUFA target action date of August 25, 2026.
Design: Phase III randomized (1:1:1) trial (NCT05152147, n=914) of first-line zanidatamab + chemotherapy ± tislelizumab vs trastuzumab + chemotherapy in HER2-positive advanced/metastatic gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma. PFS (dual primary): 12.4 vs 8.1 months, HR ~0.63–0.65 (ASCO GI 2026). OS (dual primary): 26.4 vs 19.2 months, HR 0.72 (95% CI 0.57–0.90, P=0.0043); ~54% alive at 2 years, benefit reported independent of PD-L1. Safety: higher toxicity with the triplet, diarrhea the most common treatment-related AE; no new safety signals. Regulatory: ⚠️ Investigational in this 1L GEA indication — under FDA Priority Review, PDUFA Aug 25, 2026. Zanidatamab (Ziihera) is currently FDA-approved only in 2nd-line HER2+ biliary tract cancer — a different indication. Sponsor/drug: Jazz Pharmaceuticals / BeiGene; zanidatamab (Ziihera, bispecific HER2 antibody) + tislelizumab (Tevimbra).
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Conference Presentations
HERIZON-GEA-01 Key Slides & Visuals
Official trial slides and relevant visuals shared by KOLs at the ESMO GI 2026 (#ESMOGI26) HRQoL update and the ASCO GI 2026 (#ASCOGI26) primary readout. Click any image to expand.
HERIZON-GEA-01 — Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL), ESMO GI 2026 (Abstract 494O), presented by Kohei Shitara.
Key findings reported from these slides (source: OncoDaily ESMO GI 2026 congress coverage and presenter-shared slides):
- EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire completion exceeded 95% through cycle 34 day 1 across all arms.
- Physical functioning: mean baseline scores 81.5-83.5 across arms; at cycle 2, reductions were slightly larger with zanidatamab-containing regimens vs trastuzumab but differences remained small; most patients maintained or improved physical functioning from baseline between cycles 2 and 8.
- Global Health Status/QoL: changes from baseline were numerically similar across the three arms, with no substantive changes over time.
- Symptom scales: diarrhea (the most common treatment-related AE in the zanidatamab arms) showed the greatest worsening from baseline at cycle 8 day 1, consistent with the trial's established safety profile.
Note: this ESMO GI 2026 HRQoL analysis is descriptive/supportive; efficacy figures (PFS 12.4 vs 8.1 mo; OS 26.4 vs 19.2 mo) are from the ASCO GI 2026 primary readout (DCO 1-Oct-2025). These regimens remain investigational and are not FDA approved in 1L GEA.
[Slide 1]
HER2+ Gastric Cancer
breaks the OS barrier
@DrRishabhOnco
HERIZON-GEA-01 I Phase III I # GI26
First clear frontline OS win in a decade
Who & What
Phase III, n=914
1L HER2+ metastatic GEA
Global trial
Treatment arms
Trastuzumab
Zanidatamab
Zanidatamab +
+ chemo
+ chemo
chemo + tislelizumab
PFS
8.1
12.4 months
~35% lower progression risk
26.4
Median OS 26.4 months
~28% lower risk of death
Benefit across
MO
regions
~54% alive at 2 years
Independent
of PD-L1
!
Safety
Higher toxicity with triplet
Clinical takeaway:
No new safety signals
Dual HER2 targeting + PD-1
is poised to replace trastuzumab
Save for clinic
as 1L standard in HER2+ mGEA
[Slide 1]
HERIZON-GEA-01 Updated os and PFS Data Vs KEYNOTE 811: ASCO GI 2026
HERIZON-GEA-01
KEYNOTE 811
P3 (N=920)
P3 (N=738)
Trials
Jazz Pharmaceuticals
MERCK
Status
Active, not recruiting
Active, not recruiting
Completed
Completed
Treatments
Zani + Tis + CT VS Tras + CT
Zani + CT VS Tras + CT
Tras + Pembro + CT vs Tras + CT
Tras + Pembro + CT VS Tras + CT
N
914
914
698
698
Population
Overall
Overall
Overall
PD-L1 CPS ≥1
OS HR
0.72 (0.57,0.90)
0.80 (0.64, 1.01)
0.79
0.73
mos
26.4 VS 19.2
24.4 VS 19.2
20.0 VS 16.3
21.0 VS 15.7
PFS HR
0.63 (0.51, 0.78)
0.65 (0.52, 0.81)
0.73
0.71
mPFS
12.4 VS 8.1
12.4 VS 8.1
11.0 VS 8.1
10.9 VS 7.3
Adapted from Daniel Lin (On X 2026)
LARVOL
[Slide 1]
HERIZON
DEA-301
HERIZON-GEA-01 Study Design
Global phase 3 trial of zanidatamab + chemotherapy ± tislelizumab VS trastuzumab + chemotherapy in previously
untreated patients with HER2+ mGEA
Key Eligibility Criteria
Arm A: Trastuzumab +
Age >18 years
chemotherapy
Unresectable, locally advanced,
Dual Primary Endpoints
recurrent or metastatic GEA
PFS (per BICR)
HER2 IHC 3+ or IHC 2+/ISH+
R
Arm B: Zanidatamab
OS
per central testing
1:1:1
1800 mg (<70 kg)/2400 mg (270 kg) IV Q3W
ECOG PS 0 or 1
+ chemotherapy*
CT/MRI
Select Secondary Endpoints
Q6W
No prior treatment for locally advanced
N = 914
cORR (per BICR)
or metastatic disease
Frequency and severity of AEs
No prior HER2-targeted agents or
Arm C: Zanidatamab
immunotherapy in any setting
1800 mg (<70 kg)/2400 mg (270 kg) IV Q3W
ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05152147
+
tislelizumabᵇ + chemotherapya
Stratification Factors
Prophylaxis to prevent IRR and diarrhea was
Geographic region
mandatory in the zanidatamab-containing arms
HER2 status
ECOG PS
Treatment until disease progression/death/unacceptable toxicity
Chemotherapy could be discontinued after 6 cycles
Physician's choice of capecitabine plus oxaliplatin or 5 Sucrouracil plus cisplatin Chemotherapy was administered for at least 6 cycles or until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or another criterion for treatment discontinuation was met
*Tislelizumab 200 mg was administered IV Q3W CT/MRI scans were performed every 6 weeks for the first 54 weeks, then every wooks
AE, adverse event, BICR binded independent contral review, CORR, confirmed objective response rate, CT, computed tomography ECOG PS, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, GEA, gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma,
HER2, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. IHC, immunohistochemistry, IRR, infusion related reaction; ISH, in situ hybridization, IV, intravenously, mGEA, advanced or metastatic GEA MRI, magnetic resonance imaging OS, overall survival
PFS, progression free survival, Q3W, every 3 weeks, Q6W. every 6 weeks, R. randomization
ASCO Gastrointestinal
#GI26
PRESENTED BY Elena Elimova, MD
ASCO
- ENCOLOGY
Cancers Symposium
Presentation property of the author and ASCO Permission required for - contact permissions@asco.org
KNOWLEDGE CONQUERS CANCER
Potentially practice-changing as a new 1L HER2+ gastric/GEA standard. Zanidatamab (bispecific HER2 antibody) + chemotherapy demonstrates superior PFS vs. trastuzumab + chemotherapy — the first phase 3 to challenge trastuzumab head-to-head in this setting. KEYNOTE-811 (pembrolizumab + trastuzumab + chemo) remains the 1L standard for HER2+ and PD-L1+ tumors; HERIZON-GEA-01 positions zanidatamab as a new backbone.
Median PFS was 12.4 months with zanidatamab + chemotherapy arms vs. 8.1 months with trastuzumab + chemotherapy (HR 0.65, approx 35% risk reduction). First phase 3 to challenge trastuzumab head-to-head in 1L HER2+ G/GEA.
New HRQoL data presented at ESMO GI 2026 (Abstract 494O, presented by Kohei Shitara) show that zanidatamab + chemotherapy ± tislelizumab maintained physical functioning and Global Health Status/QoL (EORTC QLQ-C30) consistent with baseline across all three treatment arms — the efficacy gains seen in PFS and OS were achieved without significant detriment to patient-reported quality of life. Diarrhea, the most common treatment-related adverse event in the zanidatamab-containing arms, was also the symptom scale showing the greatest worsening from baseline (at cycle 8 day 1), consistent with the trial's established safety profile.
HRQoL maintained vs baseline across arms — efficacy gains without a measurable QoL detriment (investigational; not yet approved)
⚠️ Investigational in 1L HER2+ gastric/GEA — not yet FDA approved. HERIZON-GEA-01 is the first phase 3 to challenge trastuzumab head-to-head in this setting: zanidatamab (bispecific HER2 antibody) + chemotherapy ± tislelizumab improved both PFS and OS vs. trastuzumab + chemotherapy. If approved, it could reshape the 1L HER2+ GEA backbone, but the regimen remains investigational in this indication and is under FDA Priority Review (PDUFA Aug 25, 2026). KEYNOTE-811 (pembrolizumab + trastuzumab + chemo) remains the current 1L standard for HER2+ and PD-L1+ tumors. Note: zanidatamab (Ziihera) is already FDA-approved, but only for a different indication — 2nd-line HER2+ biliary tract cancer.
HERIZON-GEA-01 (NCT05152147) is a Phase III randomized trial testing first-line zanidatamab + chemotherapy, with or without tislelizumab, versus trastuzumab + chemotherapy in HER2-positive advanced/metastatic gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma (n=914), sponsored by Jazz Pharmaceuticals and BeiGene.
What were the key efficacy results of HERIZON-GEA-01?
Median progression-free survival was 12.4 versus 8.1 months (HR ~0.63–0.65) and median overall survival was 26.4 versus 19.2 months (HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.57–0.90, P=0.0043) for zanidatamab-containing regimens versus trastuzumab + chemotherapy. About 54% of patients were alive at 2 years. (ASCO GI 2026)
Is zanidatamab (Ziihera) FDA approved for gastroesophageal cancer?
Not yet. This first-line gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma use is investigational and is under FDA Priority Review, with a PDUFA target action date of August 25, 2026. Zanidatamab (Ziihera) is currently FDA-approved only for a different indication — previously-treated (2nd-line) HER2-positive biliary tract cancer (accelerated approval, November 2024).
How does HERIZON-GEA-01 compare to KEYNOTE-811?
KEYNOTE-811 (pembrolizumab + trastuzumab + chemotherapy) is the current 1L standard for HER2-positive, PD-L1-positive gastroesophageal cancer. HERIZON-GEA-01 is the first Phase III to challenge trastuzumab head-to-head in this setting, with numerically longer OS and PFS in cross-trial comparison, and a benefit reported as independent of PD-L1 status — but zanidatamab is not yet approved in this indication.
Was quality of life maintained in HERIZON-GEA-01?
Yes. Health-related quality of life data presented at ESMO GI 2026 (Abstract 494O) showed that physical functioning and Global Health Status/QoL (EORTC QLQ-C30) were maintained versus baseline across all three arms — the efficacy gains came without a measurable QoL detriment. Diarrhea was the symptom scale that worsened most, consistent with the safety profile. These regimens remain investigational and are not yet FDA approved in this indication.
Compiled and reviewed by the KOL Pulse research team, led by Brian Shields, Founder, KOL Pulse. Last updated July 5, 2026.