BioXcel adds Pfizer, Merck to pancreatic cancer therapy collaboration

BioXcel Therapeutics, Inc. has made an announcement confirming the addition of Germany-based Merck KGaA as well as Pfizer Inc. to its clinical collaboration with Nektar Therapeutics for evaluating an innovative triple combination treatment for pancreatic cancer.

Reportedly, the collaboration would now include avelumab, which is co-developed and co-commercialized by Pfizer and Merck KGaA, BXCL701 developed by BioXcel and NKTR-214 which is developed by Nektar.

As part of the collaboration, BioXcel said it would be responsible for the initiation and management of the clinical program and Nektar would be supplying NKTR-214, with Merck KGaA and Pfizer supplying avelumab. All the development costs would equally be shared between BioXcel and Nektar.

The company has informed that primary objectives of the trial would be to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the triple combination consisting of avelumab, BXCL701 and NKTR-214 for treating patients suffering from pancreatic cancer. In addition, evaluation will also be done for correlative immune activation markets in tumor tissue and blood.

CEO of BioXcel Therapeutics, Mr. Vimal Mehta stated that the company believes expansion of this clinical collaboration offers certain evidence of the industry’s interest towards BXCL701. He mentioned that working closely with Pfizer and Merck KGaA along with Nektar Therapeutics, BioXcel would be leveraging their regulatory and clinical expertise as it looks to establish a development plan for the triple combination therapy in pancreatic cancer patients.

Jonathan Zalevsky, Nektar Therapeutics’ Chief Scientific Officer, said it is vital to target multiple dimensions of the immune system while also addressing the multi-faceted etiologies associated with cell cancer growth in pancreatic cancer and other hard-to-treat tumors.

Zalevsky further added that the experimental regimen of the triple combination of BXCL701, NKTR-214 and avelumab has been designed to leverage multiple action mechanisms for fighting pancreatic cancer better, while generating potentially long-term immunity to cancer.