Tucatinib plus trastuzumab for chemotherapy-refractory, HER2 + , RAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer (MOUNTAINEER): final analysis

Nat Commun. 2026 Jan 12;17(1):1068. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-67824-z.

Abstract

MOUNTAINEER was a multicenter, open-label, phase 2 trial (NCT03043313) that evaluated the efficacy and safety of tucatinib plus trastuzumab, a dual HER2-targeted chemotherapy-free regimen. Patients were included if they had chemotherapy-refractory, HER2+, RAS wild-type unresectable or metastatic colorectal cancer. This final analysis reports updated efficacy and safety after a median follow-up of 32.4 months. Of the 84 patients who received tucatinib plus trastuzumab, the confirmed objective response rate was 39.3%; median duration of response was 15.2 months. Median progression-free survival was 8.1 months and overall survival was 23.9 months. Efficacy was relatively similar across central HER2+ testing methods. No clear association of treatment response with co-occurring biomarker alterations was seen. Few patients discontinued treatment due to adverse events; no treatment-emergent deaths occurred. Tucatinib plus trastuzumab showed clinically meaningful efficacy and favorable safety. Efficacy was observed irrespective of central HER2+ testing methods and in patients with heterogeneous tumor biomarker profiles.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial, Phase II
  • Multicenter Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols* / adverse effects
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols* / therapeutic use
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Colorectal Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Colorectal Neoplasms* / genetics
  • Colorectal Neoplasms* / mortality
  • Colorectal Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / drug effects
  • Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases* / analysis
  • Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases* / genetics
  • Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases* / metabolism
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Oxazoles* / administration & dosage
  • Oxazoles* / adverse effects
  • Oxazoles* / therapeutic use
  • Progression-Free Survival
  • Pyridines* / administration & dosage
  • Pyridines* / adverse effects
  • Pyridines* / therapeutic use
  • Quinazolines* / administration & dosage
  • Quinazolines* / adverse effects
  • Quinazolines* / therapeutic use
  • Trastuzumab* / administration & dosage
  • Trastuzumab* / adverse effects
  • Trastuzumab* / therapeutic use
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases
  • ERBB2 protein, human
  • Oxazoles
  • Pyridines
  • Quinazolines
  • Trastuzumab
  • tucatinib