Merck decision to bail from TLR9 agonist programme upsets Idera investors
This article was originally published in Scrip
Executive Summary
Idera Pharmaceuticals did its best to try to console investors after its partner Merck KGaA decided to terminate further development of IMO-2055, a toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) agonist, due to an increase in neutropenia and electrolyte imbalances reported in its Phase Ib trial in patients with first-line squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN), pointing out that the partnership remained intact and the big pharma still planned to at least complete an ongoing Phase II study and would continue its pursuit of follow-on TLR9 agonists created under the collaboration.
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