Date: 2015-12-04
Type of information: Clinical research agreement
Compound: Blincyto® (blinatumomab), Keytruda® (pembrolizumab), AMG 820
Company: Amgen (USA - CA) Merck&Co (USA - NJ)
Therapeutic area: Cancer - Oncology
Type agreement: clinical research
Action mechanism: monoclonal antibody/bispecific antibody. Blinatumomab is an investigational BiTE® antibody designed to direct the body's cell-destroying T cells against target cells expressing CD19, a protein found on the surface of B-cell derived leukemias and lymphomas. Bispecific T cell engager (BiTE®) antibodies are a type of immunotherapy being investigated for use in fighting cancer by helping to engage the body's immune system to detect and target malignant cells. The modified antibodies are designed to engage two different targets simultaneously, thereby juxtaposing T cells (a type of white blood cell capable of killing other cells perceived as threats) to cancer cells. BiTE antibodies help place the T cells within reach of the targeted cell, with the intent of allowing it to inject toxins and trigger the cell to die (apoptosis). AMG 820 is an investigational human monoclonal antibody that targets the colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) and is designed to decrease tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) function. Keytruda® (pembrolizumab - MK-3475) is an highly selective monoclonal anti-PD-1 antibody designed to restore the natural ability of the immune system to recognize and target cancer cells by selectively achieving dual ligand blockade (PD-L1 and PD-L2) of the PD-1 protein. By blocking PD-1, pembrolizumab enables activation of the immune system’s T-cells that target cancer by essentially releasing a brake on the immune system. Pembrolizumab is being evaluated across more than 30 types of cancers, as monotherapy and in combination.
Disease: diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), advanced solid tumors
Details: * On December 4, 2015, Amgen and Merck&Co announced a cancer immunotherapy collaboration to support a Phase 1b/3 study investigating Blincyto® (blinatumomab) in combination with Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The study is an open-label, multicenter, randomized trial to evaluate safety and efficacy in patients with DLBCL. The companies also announced a second immunotherapy cancer collaboration to support a Phase 1/2 study of AMG 820, Amgen's anti-colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) antibody, in combination with Keytruda® in patients with select advanced solid tumors. The open-label study is designed to evaluate safety and efficacy in patients with select advanced solid tumors, including non-small cell lung, colorectal and pancreatic cancers. Each immunotherapy is designed to modulate the immune system.
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