Immuno-oncology

Akeso: We’re The Leaders In Bispecific Cancer Immunotherapies

 

The Chinese company is building on its success with ivonescimab and believes it can stay ahead of its rivals and develop into a global company.

Roche Softens TIGIT Blow With Poseida Buyout

 

The SKYSCRAPER-01 trial’s failure to generate an overall survival benefit is the biggest blow yet to the TIGIT inhibitor class, but Roche looking to move on with its buyout of the CAR-T therapy company.

Merck & Co.’s Subcutaneous Keytruda Matches I.V.

 

The new formulation is expected to play a role in helping Merck maintain its multibillion-dollar cancer franchise after Keytruda loses exclusivity in 2028.

Immutep’s LAG-3 Adds To Keytruda In First-Line Lung Cancer

 

Dosing eftilagimod alpha on top of Merck & Co’s blockbuster appears to improve survival, though more robust data are needed.


Merck & Co. Jumps Into PD-1/VEGF Bispecific Race With LaNova Deal

 

The company will in-license LM-299, gaining a PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody that could help it defend its blockbuster PD-1 franchise against looming competition.

BioNTech Drops $800m To Acquire Bispecific Specialist Biotheus

 

The German group is doubling down on the hot PD-(L)1 x VEGF-A bispecific space but will still have to contend with Summit and Akeso’s more advanced rival.

AZ China President Under Investigation By Chinese Authorities

 

The exact causes leading to Chinese authorities’ investigation of the UK major remain unclear at this point, but its key oncology drugs are facing fierce local competition from homegrown rivals.

BioFuture Notebook: Struggling With Innovation, Financing And Reimbursement

 

Panels at the recent BioFuture conference focused on the next breakthroughs in areas such as oncology and neurodegenerative diseases, continuing challenges to GLP-1 agonists, financing and how use of AI is taking shape.


Crescent Jumps Into VEGFxPD-1 Bispecific Race Via Merger With GlycoMimetics

 
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Troubled GlycoMimetics will merge with Crescent, bringing its PD-1- and VEGF-targeting bispecific CR-001 and gaining a public listing. Crescent also will raise $200m to help position itself against PD-1xVEGF leaders Akeso/Summit and BioNTech.

Zai Lab’s DLL3 ADC Emerges As New Force In ES-SCLC Race

 

ZL-1310, a DLL3-targeting ADC, has shown a 74% objective response rate in extensive-stage small cell lung cancer after platinum-based chemotherapy, making it a new contender in this setting.

Arcus Begins Differentiating Its HIF-2a Inhibitor Versus Merck’s Welireg

 
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Although from a small Phase I/Ib study, Arcus presents data showing better response rate, disease control and tolerability for casdatifan compared to Merck’s approved renal cell carcinoma drug Welireg.

Questions Remain After BioNTech’s Lead Cancer Asset’s Phase III Study Hold

The company and partner OncoC4 remain tight-lipped on what’s behind the partial hold in the NSCLC study of gotistobart, which could impact BioNTech’s nascent oncology plans.


OSE Open To Partners For Late-Stage Assets

 

CEO Nicolas Poirier talked to Scrip about the development plans for two late-stage assets: a therapeutic cancer vaccine and an IL-7 antagonist for ulcerative colitis.

Immatics Off To Phase III With IMA203 After Positive Melanoma Results

 

The TCR therapy showed strong efficacy and durability in patients with previously treated melanoma. A Phase III pivotal trial is due to start in December.

Bristol’s Opdivo Joins Keytruda, Imfinzi In Perioperative NSCLC Treatment Space

 
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PD-1 inhibitor Opdivo has obtained US FDA approval for pre- and post-surgical treatment in operable non-small cell lung cancer, but Merck and AstraZeneca got there first.

Shattuck Shifts Gears After Lackluster CD47-Targeting Bispecific Results

 

The biotech is cutting jobs and discontinuing development of its anti-CD47 bispecific for blood cancers and moving its focus to SL-325, which targets the TL1A-DR3 axis in autoimmune diseases.


J&J/Legend’s Carvykti Further Cements Myeloma Lead With OS Benefit

 

New data from CARTITUDE-4 show a survival benefit in patients with lenalidomide-refractory patients as early as the second line, along with Carvykti being studied for frontline use.

Another Miss For LAG-3 In MSS Colorectal Cancer In Keytruda Combo Study

 
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Nine months after Bristol Myers Squibb’s LAG-3/PD-L1 combination Opdualag failed a Phase III trial in microsatellite stable metastatic colorectal cancer, Merck & Co's fixed-dose combo of favezelimab and Keytruda has suffered the same fate in the indication.

As More DLL3 Bispecifics Advance, Doctors Are Adjusting To CRS, ICANS

 
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Amgen’s Imdelltra for small-cell lung cancer is one of two bispecific T-cell engagers approved for solid tumors, but data at the WCLC meeting show other DLL3-targeting BiTEs may be on the way.

Chinese Firms To Dominate Domestic Cell Therapy Market As Gilead Exits

 

Gilead’s divestment from a 50-50 joint venture with local partner, which came to light recently, will leave China’s cell therapies market under the total control of domestic players in the coming years.