Study Background and Disease Burden
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Approximately 20%-30% of NSCLC patients harbor mutations in the tumor suppressor gene LKB1 (also known as STK11). LKB1-mutant NSCLC is characterized as an immunologically “cold” tumor with poor infiltration of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), such as PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies. This resistance leads to limited therapeutic options and poorer clinical outcomes for this patient subset. Therefore, novel strategies to overcome primary immunotherapy resistance in LKB1-mutant NSCLC are urgently needed.
