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Bladder CancerMarch 2021Summary reviewed June 2026

What the EV-301 Trial Found — Enfortumab Vedotin for Advanced Bladder Cancer

Researchers tested enfortumab vedotin in 608 people with advanced bladder cancer whose disease had worsened after standard treatments. People who received enfortumab vedotin lived nearly 4 months longer on average than those who received standard chemotherapy.

What the trial was testing

The EV-301 enrolled 608 patients with bladder cancer. The study was sponsored by Astellas Pharma Global Development, Inc. and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.

It was a large trial designed to confirm whether the treatment works well enough for wider use. Trials at this stage are designed to produce evidence regulators and physicians can act on — not just observations to follow up later.

What the results showed

People receiving enfortumab vedotin lived a median of 12.9 months compared to 9 months with chemotherapy.

The New England journal of medicine · 2021 · NCT03474107

These findings — that people lived nearly 4 months longer than those on standard chemotherapy — were published in the The New England journal of medicine and represent the headline result of the study.

Researchers tracked outcomes across 608 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.

What this means for patients

For patients with bladder cancer, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.

What you can do now

Enfortumab vedotin is FDA-approved for advanced bladder cancer that has gotten worse after other treatments. If you've already tried platinum-based chemotherapy and immunotherapy, ask your doctor whether this treatment might be right for you.

Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.