STRIDE (durvalumab + tremelimumab) + VEGFR/FGFR TKI lenvatinib + TACE extends PFS in embolisation-eligible HCC

STRIDE is dual-checkpoint immunotherapy (anti–PD-L1 durvalumab + single priming dose anti–CTLA-4 tremelimumab); lenvatinib is an oral multikinase inhibitor (VEGFR/FGFR/PDGFR/RET/KIT). In the global Phase 3 EMERALD-3 trial (NCT05301842) in embolisation-eligible, unresectable HCC with Child-Pugh A and ECOG 0–1, STRIDE + lenvatinib + TACE (n=293) improved median PFS to 13.0 months vs 9.8 months with TACE alone (n=292; HR 0.70, p=0.0007), while OS was not significant at the Feb 23, 2026 cutoff (mOS 39.5 vs 34.7 months; HR 0.84, p=0.18)—i.e., a ~3-month PFS gain over the current TACE-only benchmark in this population. Grade 3–4 AEs were led by hypertension (12%) in the lenvatinib arm, and serious AEs were more frequent with STRIDE + lenvatinib + TACE (64%) vs STRIDE + TACE (51%) vs TACE (23%); treatment-related deaths occurred in 2% (including 2 myocarditis) vs 0% vs 1%, respectively.