BMS, Celgene Investigate Immunotherapy-Chemotherapy Combo

Bristol-Myers Squibb together with collaborator Celgene Corporation announced that the companies have partnered to launch a clinical trial collaboration to investigate a combination regimen of BMS’ immunotherapy Opdivo and Celgene’s chemotherapy Abraxane.

Opdivo (nivolumab) is an investigational human PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor that targets specific regulatory components of the immune system and encourages the immune system to fight cancer in the body. Abraxane is an albumin-bound form of paclitaxel that interferes with cancer cell division. The partners will explore whether the combination regimen of the two drugs leads to an improved anti-tumor response as opposed to each being given as monotherapy.

The investigational combo therapy will be evaluated in a Phase I study exploring several tumor types, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), HER-2 negative metastatic breast cancer, and pancreatic cancer. As part of the agreement, Celgene will conduct the study which is expected to launch in the last quarter of 2014. Breast cancer patients will be treated with the combination therapy, NSCLC patients will be treated with the combo regimen plus carboplatin, and patients with pancreatic cancer will be treated with Opdivo-Abraxane plus gemcitabine.

Michael Giordano, SVP of Oncology Development at Bristol-Myers Squibb, said, “Through this collaboration, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Celgene will work together to advance the science and understanding of how the body’s own immune system and chemotherapy might work together to fight cancer.”

Markus Renschler, SVP and Global Head of Hematology & Oncology Medical Affairs at Celgene, said, “We believe that Abraxane is appropriate as a combination partner for novel immuno-oncology therapies due to its proven anti-tumor activity and that it can be administered without steroid premedication.”

No financial terms of the clinical trial collaboration were disclosed by either company.