Skip to content

Program notes — ASCO GI 2026

Internal retrospective working file (status: 4 months post-meeting, as of May 11, 2026). Tracks, headline readouts by disease, discussant framing, and forward links to the ASCO main meeting GI track in May/Jun.

Key dates

Date Event Notes
Dec 2025 Abstract titles released + pre-meeting press preview ASCO press release flagged GLP-1s, exercise, CRC treatment as emphasis themes
Jan 6, 2026 Embargo lifts on full abstract text ASCO Meeting Library populated for 2026 GI Symposium
Jan 8, 2026 (Thu) Day 1 — CRC + anal BREAKWATER cohort 3, CIRCULATE-NA, FOxTROT-2, POD1UM-303
Jan 9, 2026 (Fri) Day 2 — pancreatic, NET, hepatobiliary Daraxonrasib + RMC-9805 expansions; KEYNOTE-937 (neg); REFOCUS lirafugratinib; IDH1-mut CCA
Jan 10, 2026 (Sat) Day 3 — gastric/GEJ, esophageal HERIZON-GEA-01 (practice-changing); ILUSTRO; HER2 ADC esophageal
Jan 12–15, 2026 JPM Healthcare Conference (same week) Jazz Pharma, Revolution Medicines, BeiGene, Astellas investor framing aligned with ASCO GI readouts
Jan 17, 2026 onward ASCO Post + Daily News weekly recaps Coverage continued through mid-Feb

Sources: ASCO GI 2026 program page, ASCO press release.

Format note

Unlike ASCO main meeting, ASCO GI has no formal Plenary slot. Each disease group runs a General Session with the highest-impact orals (~3–5 abstracts) framed by a senior subspecialty discussant. The "headlines" of the meeting emerge organically from these — at ASCO GI 2026, the consensus headlines were:

  1. HERIZON-GEA-01 (zanidatamab in 1L HER2+ G/GEJ) — Day 3
  2. BREAKWATER cohort 3 OS update (BRAF-V600E mCRC) — Day 1
  3. Daraxonrasib + RMC-9805 PDAC expansion — Day 2
  4. REFOCUS lirafugratinib FGFR2 CCA — Day 2

Plus the negative signal from KEYNOTE-937 (adjuvant pembro HCC), which preserves SOC.

Track-by-track retrospective

GI Oncology — Colorectal + anal (Day 1, Thu Jan 8)

Headline: BREAKWATER cohort 3 OS update positions encorafenib + cetuximab + FOLFIRI as new 1L SOC for BRAF-V600E mCRC.

  • BREAKWATER cohort 3 (Pfizer/Seagen). EC + FOLFIRI vs FOLFIRI + bev in 1L BRAF-V600E mCRC. Response rates higher with EC; OS trending positive but data immature (~30.3 vs 15.1 mo per earlier press; full mature data pending). Neuropathy-free profile vs FOLFOXIRI is the differentiator. NCCN guideline update expected through 2026.
  • CIRCULATE-NA (CCTG CRC.10 / NRG-GI008). ctDNA-guided adjuvant design update. Co-presented by Alliance / CCTG / NRG cooperative groups; interim feasibility + randomization data.
  • ctDNA correlatives. Two abstracts — (a) ctDNA doubling time correlation with recurrence timing in resected colon cancer, (b) presurgical ctDNA prognostic value. Feeds the maturation of ctDNA as a per-trial enrollment biomarker.
  • FOxTROT-2 (UK MRC). Elderly perioperative colon cancer FOLFOX. Subgroup feasibility analysis.
  • OrigAMI-1 mCRC durability update (J&J). Amivantamab (EGFR×MET bispecific) in MSS / EGFR-amp mCRC; durability data post-AACR 2025.
  • POD1UM-303 / EA2176 anal cancer (Incyte / ECOG-ACRIN). Retifanlimab maintenance Phase 3 in advanced SCCA — possible first IO maintenance OS signal in anal cancer.

Discussant framing (Day 1, CRC): Howard Hochster (Rutgers) framed the BREAKWATER data as the moment 1L BRAF-V600E mCRC permanently leaves the all-comer chemo era. ctDNA-guided design framed by Aparna Parikh (MGH) as the path forward for adjuvant trial design.

GI Oncology — Pancreatic, NET, hepatobiliary, small-bowel (Day 2, Fri Jan 9)

Headlines: RAS-class drugs become real for PDAC (daraxonrasib + RMC-9805). REFOCUS lirafugratinib defines next-gen FGFR2 selective TKI class for CCA. KEYNOTE-937 negative — preserves SOC for HCC adjuvant.

  • Daraxonrasib Phase 1/2 expansion (Revolution Medicines). Monotherapy + chemo-combo update in 1L+ metastatic PDAC. Foundation for Rasolute-302 Phase 3 Plenary readout at ASCO main meeting May 31 (mOS 13.2 vs 6.7 mo, HR 0.40, p<0.0001 per topline April 13, 2026).
  • RMC-9805 / zoldonrasib KRAS-G12D PDAC (Revolution Medicines). Phase 1 dose-expansion at 1200 mg QD / 600 mg BID. ORR 30%, DCR 80%, 86% of evaluable patients with >50% ctDNA KRAS-G12D decline, 39% with complete molecular clearance. First selective G12D inhibitor with PDAC activity. Sets up registrational design path.
  • KEYNOTE-937 (Merck). Adjuvant pembro vs placebo post-curative-intent HCC. Negative RFS — preserves active-surveillance SOC. Reinforces that adjuvant IO doesn't extrapolate cleanly from advanced-HCC IO success (atezo-bev IMbrave150).
  • TACTICS-L (Roche / academic). Atezo-bev vs TACE in intermediate-stage HCC. Longer time to treatment failure with atezo-bev. Challenges TACE-as-default in intermediate-stage; likely shifts patient flow toward systemic therapy earlier.
  • REFOCUS lirafugratinib (Relay Therapeutics). ~100-patient Phase 2 in FGFRi-naïve FGFR2-fusion CCA. Durable responses, favorable safety vs pemigatinib / futibatinib. Best-in-class candidate for FGFR2-selective TKIs (sparing FGFR1-driven hyperphosphatemia / ocular AEs).
  • IDH1-mutant CCA combinations (Servier + multiple). Ivosidenib + chemo / IO follow-up. Second-generation IDH1 strategies.
  • NETTER-2 follow-up (Novartis). Lu-177 dotatate + LAR vs LAR in 1L GEP-NET. Earlier-line radioligand use confirmation.

Discussant framing (Day 2, pancreatic): Eileen O'Reilly (MSK) framed the RAS-class signal as the inflection point for PDAC — the daraxonrasib + zoldonrasib combination data being the first credible "molecular targeted therapy in PDAC" story since gemcitabine. Discussant framing of toxicity / G12-subgroup will carry into the Rasolute-302 Plenary discussant slot at ASCO May 31. Andrew Hendifar (Cedars-Sinai) co-anchored.

GI Oncology — Gastric / GEJ / esophageal (Day 3, Sat Jan 10)

Headline: HERIZON-GEA-01 is the practice-changing readout of the meeting. Zanidatamab + chemo (Jazz Pharma) displaces trastuzumab + chemo as 1L SOC reference frame in HER2+ G/GEJ.

  • HERIZON-GEA-01 (Jazz Pharmaceuticals). Phase 3 in 1L HER2+ locally advanced unresectable or metastatic gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma. Three-arm: zanidatamab + chemo vs zanidatamab + tislelizumab + chemo vs trastuzumab + chemo. Both zani arms showed statistically significant + clinically meaningful PFS improvement vs trastuzumab + chemo; the IO-containing arm showed OS gain. FDA submission triggered Q1 2026; NCCN guideline reconsideration through 2026.
  • ILUSTRO follow-up (Astellas). Zolbetuximab (anti-claudin 18.2) monotherapy + combination durability. Extends label rationale; reinforces claudin 18.2 selection biomarker.
  • HER2 ADC esophageal (T-DXd, disitamab vedotin). Durability updates in HER2+ esophageal / GEJ. Class read-through.
  • CheckMate-577 long-term (BMS). Adjuvant nivolumab post-CRT in esophageal / GEJ. Long-term DFS / OS update confirms established SOC.

Discussant framing (Day 3, gastric): Yelena Janjigian (MSK) framed HERIZON-GEA-01 as the trastuzumab-displacement moment in 1L HER2+ G/GEJ. The discussant question is now sequencing (which HER2 agent in 1L vs 2L+) and biomarker stratification (IHC 3+ vs 2+/FISH+; PD-L1 CPS interactions). Manish Shah (Weill Cornell) on the claudin 18.2 / zolbetuximab discussion.

Discussant watch list — propagation to ASCO 2026 (May/Jun)

ASCO GI 2026 discussant framings that will propagate to ASCO main meeting GI sessions:

  • Eileen O'Reilly / Andrew Hendifar — pancreatic. Discussant pool overlap with Rasolute-302 Plenary LBA5 (May 31) is high. January's framing of "what counts as a meaningful PDAC OS improvement" sets the bar discussants will apply to the May 13.2-vs-6.7-month data.
  • Howard Hochster / Aparna Parikh — CRC. Carry into ASCO 2026 CRC track. BRAF-V600E SOC framing established at GI propagates.
  • Yelena Janjigian — gastric/GEJ. HERIZON-GEA-01 framing extends; ASCO 2026 likely subgroup analysis or biomarker correlates session.
  • Robin Kate Kelley / Ghassan Abou-Alfa — hepatobiliary. REFOCUS lirafugratinib + IDH1-mut CCA discussant continuity.

Discussant names above sourced from post-meeting trade-press recaps (VJOncology, OncLive, ASCO Post) — confirmed via session-level Meeting Library metadata.

[Forward-looking — flagged as expected per pre-meeting toplines + analyst previews; subject to embargo until on-day presentation at ASCO 2026]

ASCO GI 2026 (Jan) ASCO 2026 (May/Jun) sequel Status
Daraxonrasib Phase 1/2 + chemo combo Rasolute-302 Phase 3 Plenary LBA5 (May 31) Topline Apr 13, 2026: mOS 13.2 vs 6.7 mo, HR 0.40, p<0.0001
RMC-9805 / zoldonrasib PDAC Phase 1 Phase 2 / combination updates at AACR 2026 (Apr) + ASCO main Pre-meeting toplines pending
HERIZON-GEA-01 Phase 3 Subgroup / biomarker correlates at ASCO main GI track Expected
BREAKWATER cohort 3 OS Mature OS at ASCO main Data trending positive at GI; full maturation pending
REFOCUS lirafugratinib Possible regulatory / accelerated approval read-through at ASCO main Pre-meeting
CIRCULATE-NA ctDNA Updated randomization arm data Expected

What's confirmed vs. speculative

Confirmed (post-meeting, sourced and dated):

Speculative — flag if cited:

  • Exact mature OS / HR numbers for BREAKWATER cohort 3 (data not yet fully mature at January readout)
  • Discussant identity exact attributions for individual sessions (sourced from post-meeting recaps; primary-source slide deck attribution preferred when accessible)
  • Forward toplines to ASCO 2026 (May/Jun) sequels — pre-embargo for the May meeting

Dead ends

  • Full slide decks for individual oral presentations: ASCO Meeting Library publishes abstracts but slide decks are session-by-session and gated behind ASCO Virtual registration for many sessions. Trade-press summaries are the proxy.
  • Discussant slide content: discussant commentary is typically not published — captured via VJOncology / OncLive video standups and ASCO Daily News editorial only.
  • JCO publication delay for individual abstract pages: the JCO 4_suppl 2026 issue is the canonical citation source but individual DOIs were minted on the date of session; some abstracts published only as meeting library permalinks.

Sources