Analytical and Clinical Performance of the VENTANA CLDN18 (43-14A) RxDx Assay in Gastric and Gastroesophageal Junction Adenocarcinoma Tissue Samples in SPOTLIGHT and GLOW

New therapies are needed to treat patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative, locally advanced (LA) unresectable or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction (mG/GEJ) adenocarcinoma. Zolbetuximab is a monoclonal antibody that targets the tight junction protein claudin 18 isoform 2 (CLDN18.2) in gastric or gastroesophageal junction (G/GEJ) adenocarcinoma cells. We describe the analytical and clinical performance of the VENTANA CLDN18 (43-14A) RxDx Assay (Roche Diagnostics Solutions) as a companion diagnostic immunohistochemistry assay for treatment with zolbetuximab. Analytical performance was assessed in commercially available G/GEJ adenocarcinoma samples. Clinical performance was assessed in the context of 2 phase 3 trials (SPOTLIGHT, NCT03504397; GLOW, NCT03653507) of first-line zolbetuximab plus chemotherapy in patients with HER2-negative, LA unresectable or mG/GEJ adenocarcinoma, whose tumors were CLDN18.2 positive (≥75% of viable tumor cells demonstrating moderate-to-strong membrane CLDN18 staining). Staining acceptability rates were assessed in patients whose tumors were tested for CLDN18.2 status using the VENTANA CLDN18 (43-14A) RxDx Assay and who met enrollment eligibility criteria not related to CLDN18.2 status. Progression-free survival and overall survival were evaluated in the enrolled patients. Analytical performance: positive and negative percent agreement compared with immunohistochemistry reference scoring was 100% for between-antibody, between-detection kit, between-instrument, between-day, and within-run precision studies. Interlaboratory reproducibility exceeded 90% average positive and negative agreement between sites and 94% average positive and negative agreement between readers across 3 sites. Clinical performance: among 3783 patient tumor samples, staining acceptability rates exceeded 94%. Patients identified for eligibility using the VENTANA CLDN18 (43-14A) RxDx Assay demonstrated statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival and overall survival with zolbetuximab plus chemotherapy in both phase 3 trials. The VENTANA CLDN18 (43-14A) RxDx Assay demonstrated robust, reproducible analytical performance and clinical utility as a companion diagnostic for first-line zolbetuximab plus chemotherapy in patients with HER2-negative, LA unresectable or mG/GEJ adenocarcinoma, whose tumors were CLDN18.2 positive.