HIF Inhibition and Emerging Therapeutic Targets in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma
Résumé
Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is characterized by inactivation of the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) pathway, resulting in stabilization of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) and activation of transcriptional programs involved in angiogenesis, metabolism, and tumour survival. This biology established HIF-2α as a rational therapeutic target and led to the development of belzutifan, the first HIF-2 inhibitor to demonstrate randomized clinical benefit in ccRCC. In this review, we summarize the biologic rationale for HIF inhibition in ccRCC, review the key data supporting belzutifan with a focus on the LITESPARK-005, LITESPARK-011, and LITESPARK-022 studies, discuss next-generation HIF-2 inhibitors, including casdatifan, and briefly highlight other emerging therapeutic targets in ccRCC.
Références
Kaelin WG Jr. The von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor protein and clear cell renal carcinoma. Clin Cancer Res. 2007;13(2 Pt 2):680s-684s.
Jonasch E, Donskov F, Iliopoulos O, Rathmell WK, Narayan VK, Maughan BL, et al. Belzutifan for renal cell carcinoma in von Hippel-Lindau disease. N Engl J Med. 2021;385(22):2036-46.
Choueiri TK, Albiges L, Burotto M, McDermott DF, Motzer RJ, Powles T, et al. Belzutifan versus everolimus for advanced renal-cell carcinoma. N Engl J Med. 2024;391(10):883-95.
Powles T, Albiges L, Burotto M, McDermott DF, Motzer RJ, Choueiri TK, et al. Health-related quality of life with belzutifan versus everolimus for advanced renal cell carcinoma (LITESPARK-005): patient-reported outcomes from a randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial. Lancet Oncol. 2025;26(4):491-502.
Motzer RJ, Bilen MA, McGregor BA, Escudier B, Ravaud A, Bedke J, et al. Belzutifan plus lenvatinib versus cabozantinib for advanced renal cell carcinoma after anti-PD-(L)1 therapy: open-label phase 3 LITESPARK-011 study. J Clin Oncol. 2026;44(7_suppl):LBA417.
Choueiri TK, Motzer RJ, Powles T, Burotto M, Bedke J, Lee CH, et al. Adjuvant pembrolizumab plus belzutifan versus pembrolizumab for clear cell renal cell carcinoma: randomized phase 3 LITESPARK-022 study. J Clin Oncol. 2026;44(7_suppl):LBA418.
Choueiri TK, Powles T, Voss MH, Plimack ER, Gurney H, Song Y, et al. LITESPARK-012: pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib with or without belzutifan or quavonlimab for advanced renal cell carcinoma. Future Oncol. 2023;19(40):2631-40.
Lee JL, Ornstein MC, McGregor BA, Barata PC, Voss MH, Ravaud A, et al. Casdatifan monotherapy in patients with previously treated clear cell renal cell carcinoma: safety, efficacy and subgroup analysis across multiple doses from ARC-20, a phase 1 open-label study. J Clin Oncol. 2025;43(5_suppl):441.
Choueiri TK, Ornstein MC, Barata PC, Kumar R, Lee J, McGregor BA, et al. Activity and biomarker analyses with casdatifan, a next-generation HIF-2α inhibitor, in refractory clear cell renal cell carcinoma: results from ARC-20. J Clin Oncol. 2026;44(7_suppl):493.
Schweickert PG, Ahmadi L, Junu C, Chhabra S, Sykes D, Vu C, et al. Casdatifan (AB521) is a novel and potent allosteric small molecule inhibitor of protumourigenic HIF-2α dependent transcription. Br J Pharmacol. 2025;182(17):4147-67.
Ghasemi M, Khosravan R, Agoram B, Kim JY, Kumar R, Higa GM, et al. Pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and safety of casdatifan, a novel hypoxia-inducible factor-2α inhibitor, in healthy participants. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2025;91(2):1000-13.
Choueiri TK, Ornstein MC, Barata PC, Matrana MR, Merchan JR, Gedye C, et al. Combination casdatifan plus cabozantinib expansion cohort of phase 1 ARC-20 study in previously treated patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma. J Clin Oncol. 2025;43(16_suppl):4506.
Jonasch E, Hauke R, Falchook G, Logan T, Gordon M, Hall E, et al. A phase 1/2, open label dose-escalation and expansion trial of NKT2152 in adults with advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma. J Clin Oncol. 2023;41(16_suppl):TPS4607.
Dizman N, Slack-Tidwell RS, Sheth RA, Alhalabi O, Campbell MT, Corn PG, et al. Phase II trial of ivonescimab in patients with advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma previously treated with immune checkpoint blockade: IVORY trial (NCT06940518). Oncologist. 2025;30(Suppl 2):oyaf276.021.
Bohac C, Pal S, Sweis R, Kotecha R, Runcie K, Bilen M, et al. A phase 1, multiple-dose study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of first-in-class XmAb819 (ENPP3 × CD3) in subjects with relapsed or refractory clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Oncologist. 2025;30(Suppl 2):oyaf276.018.
Doñate F, Raitano A, Morrison K, An Z, Capo L, Avina H, et al. AGS16F is a novel antibody-drug conjugate directed against ENPP3 for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma. Clin Cancer Res. 2016;22(8):1989-99.
Pal SK, Becerra CR, Tykodi SS, Costello JC, Lee CH, Lee S, et al. CD70-targeted allogeneic CAR T-cell therapy for advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Cancer Discov. 2024;14(7):1176-89.
Téléchargements
Publié
Comment citer
Numéro
Rubrique
Licence
© Canadian Oncology Today 2026

Cette œuvre est sous licence Creative Commons Attribution - Pas d'Utilisation Commerciale - Pas de Modification 4.0 International.