Research & Development
Immunicum enters into collaboration with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and Pfizer to evaluate Ilixadencel in combination with Avelumab
19 November 2018 -

Immunicum AB (STO:IMMU.ST), a biomedical company engaged in the development of cancer immunotherapies, on Friday announced that it has entered into a collaboration agreement with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE), to evaluate its lead product, ilixadencel, an off-the-shelf cell-based cancer immune primer, in combination with avelumab* a human anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody, in a planned multi-indication phase Ib/II clinical trial.

According to Immunicum, it will initiate a study of ilixadencel in the fourth quarter of 2018. Following completion of the Ib portion of the study, a phase II study will be conducted using the checkpoint inhibitor avelumab in combination with ilixadencel to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the combination in patients with advanced head and neck cancer and gastric adenocarcinoma.

Immunicum will be responsible for conducting the study and continues to retain all commercial rights to ilixadencel.

The collaboration is expected to greatly benefit the study by providing access to avelumab and represents the company's first corporate agreement that supports the development of ilixadencel.

Avelumab has received accelerated approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of patients with metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) and previously treated patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC). It is also under further clinical evaluation across a range of tumour types under a global strategic alliance between Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and Pfizer.

This global strategic alliance between Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and Pfizer enables the companies to benefit from each other's strengths and capabilities and further explore the therapeutic potential of avelumab, an anti-PD-L1 antibody initially discovered and developed by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. The immuno-oncology alliance will jointly develop and commercialise avelumab and advance Pfizer's PD-1 antibody. The alliance is focused on developing high-priority international clinical programmes to investigate avelumab as a monotherapy, as well as in combination regimens, and is striving to find new ways to treat cancer.

Ilixadencel, a cell therapy product, is an off-the-shelf cancer immune primer, developed for the treatment of solid tumours. Its active ingredient is activated allogeneic dendritic cells, derived from healthy blood donors. Intratumoral injection of these cells generates an inflammatory response which in turn leads to tumour-specific activation of the patient's cytotoxic T-cells.

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