Roche and Celldex to test drug combo in renal cell carcinoma
This article was originally published in Scrip
Executive Summary
Roche has signed a deal with Celldex Therapeutics to test its immunotherapy MPDL3280A (also known as anti-PDL1 and RG7446) with Celldex's varlilumab, a CD27 targeting antibody, in a Phase I/II study in renal cell carcinoma. Varlilumab is currently being studied in two Phase I/II combination studies and more combination studies are planned. Celldex the latest trial was supported by promising signs of single-agent activity observed in a Phase I study in renal cell carcinoma. The company believes that combining an immune activator with a checkpoint inhibitor in this disease setting could augment this activity. Roche, which has US FDA breakthrough therapy designation for MPDL3280A in bladder cancer and NSCLC, has already presented preliminary clinical data of a combination of MPDL3280A with Avastin in first line metastatic renal cell carcinoma.
You may also be interested in...
UK Reimbursement Decisions Focus Mostly On Cancer
The UK's main reimbursement bodies made a series of decisions this week that were broadly favorable and largely focused on oncology medicines.
Deal Watch: Valeant Sells Off iNova To Finance Debt-Reduction Efforts
While troubled Valeant was divesting iNova to private equity investors, Novartis announced a pair of oncology-focused deals, out-licensing a brain cancer drug to Midatech and partnering with IBM Watson Health to optimize breast cancer treatment.
Pfizer/Astellas Amend Trial To Position Xtandi In Early Prostate Cancer
Astellas and Pfizer have amended the PROSPER trial protocol in a bid to position Xtandi ahead of Zytiga in the early stage prostate cancer market.