Global leader in development of immunotherapy for cancer and autoimmune diseases Immutep (ASX:IMM) reports it has entered into the second clinical trial collaboration agreement with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and Pfizer.
This new clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement has been signed with a goal of commencing a new phase one clinical study that will investigate how its first-in-class LAG-3 candidate Eftilagimod Alpha (efti) and Avelumab will help treat patients suffering with urothelial cancer.
The new trial has been named INSIGHT-005 and will build on ‘encouraging’ clinical data previously reported from INSIGHT-004.
“We are very pleased to be deepening our collaboration with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and Pfizer through this new study in patients with urothelial cancer”
Addressing the second clinical trial collaboration agreement, Immutep CEO, Marc Voigt says: “We are very pleased to be deepening our collaboration with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and Pfizer through this new study in patients with urothelial cancer, the sixth most common cancer in the US, who are in need of treatment options.
INSIGHT-005 builds on the encouraging clinical efficacy and safety previously reported from the combination of efti and avelumab in various solid cancers, including deep and durable responses in patients with low or no PD-L1 expression and in indications that typically do not respond to immune checkpoint therapy.”
The company also notes that INSIGHT-005 will be an investigator-initiated explorative, open-label study evaluating the safety and efficacy of its LAG-3 candidates in up to 30 patients that are suffering from metastatic urothelial cancer.
In addition, the company’s expansion into urothelial cancer builds on its core strategy to increase target indications for combination approaches with efti to exploit the full potential of the unique LAG-3 candidate.
Immutep is a global leader in understanding the developing therapeutics that relate to Lymphocyte Activation Gene-3 (LAG-3), which is a cell surface molecule that plays a role in regulating the immune system. The company’s mission is to harness and strengthen the power of the body’s own immune system through therapeutic intervention for the benefit of the patient’s health.
With the new collaboration agreement now signed, Immutep announces that the study will be conducted at the Institute of Clinical Cancer Research in Germany and will be jointly funded by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.
The first patient of the study is expected to be enrolled and dosed in H1 of CY23.
