Verastem Ends Lung Cancer Trial, Reallocates Resources

Verastem Oncology (NASDAQ:VSTM) announced on Monday that it would discontinue the RAMP 203 trial in advanced KRAS G12C–mutated non-small cell lung cancer after reviewing interim data.

Enrollment in RAMP 203 will stop, and currently enrolled patients may continue treatment at the investigator’s discretion.

The decision reflects increased competition and higher response benchmarks from next-generation KRAS G12C inhibitors.

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The company will reallocate resources to advance VS-7375, its oral KRAS G12D (ON/OFF) inhibitor, in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and other solid tumors.

In an SEC filing, the management cited stronger strategic potential for VS-7375, which has shown a 69% response rate (11 of 16 patients, confirmed and unconfirmed) in advanced KRAS G12D NSCLC, as well as continued progress in RAMP 205, evaluating avutometinib plus defactinib with chemotherapy in first-line metastatic pancreatic cancer.

RAMP 203 was a Phase 1/2 study conducted with Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN) evaluating avutometinib with Lumakras (sotorasib) as a doublet, and with defactinib as a triplet, in patients with KRAS G12C–mutated NSCLC.

Competition

In May 2025, Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK) shared safety and efficacy results from the open-label Phase 1 KANDLELIT-001 study of MK-1084, a KRAS G12C covalent inhibitor, alone and in combination with other therapies.

In patients with advanced KRAS G12C-mutated CRC and NSCLC, MK-1084, either as monotherapy or in combinations, demonstrated a manageable safety profile and antitumor activity.

In September 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Breakthrough Therapy designation to Eli Lilly and Co.’s (NYSE:LLY) olomorasib, in combination with Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab), for the first-line treatment of unresectable advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with a KRAS G12C mutation and PD-L1 expression ≥ 50%.

Olomorasib is a potent and highly selective second-generation inhibitor of KRAS G12C with preliminary evidence of central nervous system (CNS) activity.  

VSTM Price Action: Verastem shares were down 4.34% at $7.75 at the time of publication on Friday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

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