Darovasertib is an investigational targeted therapy that is emerging as a promising treatment for metastatic uveal melanoma. In the phase 3 OptiMUM-02 trial, darovasertib in combination with crizotinib significantly improved progression-free survival compared with investigator’s choice of therapy.
Darovasertib is an oral inhibitor of protein kinase C (PKC), a key signalling pathway involved in uveal melanoma. The drug is being investigated both as monotherapy and in combination with other treatments across different stages of the disease.
In the OptiMUM-02 phase 3 trial, which included patients with HLA-A*02:01-negative metastatic uveal melanoma, median progression-free survival was 6.9 months with darovasertib plus crizotinib compared with 3.1 months with investigator’s choice of treatment (HR 0.42; p<0.0001). The objective response rate was 37.1% versus 5.8%, respectively. Overall-survival data remain immature, although an early favourable trend has been observed.
These results, presented at the 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting, highlight the potential of PKC inhibition as a new therapeutic strategy in metastatic uveal melanoma. Darovasertib remains investigational and has not yet received FDA approval.
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