Jefferies has released a research note indicating that the H-2 study of AKESO's (09926) Ivonescimab has yielded favorable outcomes. The data showed that the interim overall survival (OS) endpoint reached statistical significance, with the drug demonstrating a notable extension in OS compared to Pembrolizumab when used as a first-line monotherapy for PD-L1 positive non-small cell lung cancer.

The firm believes that the OS benefit observed with Ivonescimab is compelling, describing the results as encouraging. Consequently, Jefferies has maintained its "Buy" rating on AKESO with a target price of HK$226.

The study data revealed that the median OS in the Ivonescimab arm was 30.8 months, with a hazard ratio of 0.73, based on a median follow-up of 36 months. In contrast, the Pembrolizumab arm recorded a median OS of 22.6 months.