Lung cancer, highlighted by an awareness day on August 1st, remains one of the most prevalent and deadly cancers globally and in Italy, where 44,831 new cases are diagnosed annually. Approximately 12% involve small cell lung cancer (SCLC), an aggressive and fast-progressing form with historically limited treatment options. Recent advances, however, offer new hope. A synthetic compound derived from the marine invertebrate *Ecteinascidia turbinata* has shown promise as part of a first-line maintenance therapy for patients with extensive-stage SCLC (ES-SCLC), a particularly aggressive subtype with high unmet clinical needs.
Data from the phase 3 IMforte trial, presented at the ASCO Annual Meeting 2025 in Chicago and simultaneously published in The Lancet, demonstrated that this marine-derived compound combined with immunotherapy reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 46% compared to immunotherapy alone. Patients receiving the combination achieved a median overall survival of 13.2 months versus 10.6 months in the control group.
“Small cell lung cancer is one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat forms of lung cancer. Diagnosis often occurs at an advanced stage when treatment options are limited,” commented Professor Silvia Novello, Director of Medical Oncology at San Luigi Hospital in Orbassano and Professor of Medical Oncology at the University of Turin. “The IMforte study results represent an important development: the new combination demonstrated significant clinical benefit, improving both overall survival and progression-free survival.”
PharmaMar, the company behind the compound, employs a research model exploring the potential of molecules derived from marine organisms for cancer treatment. This approach has led to the discovery of innovative therapeutic compounds with mechanisms of action distinct from traditional chemotherapy. The company maintains a unique collection of over 500,000 frozen marine invertebrate samples, gathered from more than 35 countries over decades and stored at its R&D center in Madrid. Each year, specialized marine biologists and divers collect approximately 2,000 new samples from depths between 20 and 70 meters.