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www.fdanews.com/articles/172830-astrazeneca-peregrine-to-collaborate-on-solid-tumor-trial

AstraZeneca, Peregrine to Collaborate on Solid Tumor Trial

August 28, 2015

AstraZeneca and Peregrine Pharmaceuticals are collaborating on an early-phase clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of two novel investigational drugs in patients with a range of solid tumor types.

The Phase 1/1b trial, slated to start next year, will combine AstraZeneca’s durvalumab, an anti-PDL1 immune checkpoint inhibitor, with Peregrine’s bavituximab, a phosphatidylserine-signaling pathway inhibitor.

Preclinical data show that tumor-specific T-cells have a prolonged ability to continue attacking a tumor when the antitumor activity of bavituximab is combined with checkpoint inhibitors such as PDL1 antibodies, the companies say.

The nonexclusive collaboration is the latest indication of significant interest in Peregrine’s bavituximab as a potential key component in immuno-oncology combos, says company spokesman Tim Brons.

The Tustin, Calif., drugmaker is planning to initiate a Phase 2 trial of bavituximab in combination with Opdivo (nivolumab) in non-small cell lung cancer by the end of the year and has announced a deal with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center for additional research into combination regimens, he said.

Separately, AZ’s durvalumab will be investigated in trials next year in combination with Mirati Therapeutics’ mocetinostat, a spectrum-selective histone deacetylase inhibitor, in patients with NSCLC.

AZ also entered into collaborations with Inovio Pharmaceuticals and Heptares Therapeutics earlier this year to develop cancer drugs. — Jonathon Shacat