A new clinical trial collaboration between AbbVie and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company will evaluate the combination of AbbVie’s investigational antibody-drug conjugate telisotuzumab vedotin also known as ABBV-399 and Bristol-Myers Squibb’s immunotherapy nivolumab (Opdivo®) in c-Met overexpressing non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Nivolumab is a programmed death-1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint inhibitor that is designed to uniquely harness the body’s own immune system to help restore anti-tumor immune response. By harnessing the body’s own immune system to fight cancer, nivolumab has become an important treatment option across multiple cancers.
Telisotuzumab vedotin is a first-in-class anti-c-Met antibody drug conjugate that targets both MET-amplified and c-Met-overexpressing tumors. It is currently being investigated to treat advanced solid tumors. c-Met expression is significantly higher in many solid tumors compared to normal tissue and is a marker of poor prognosis.
Ongoing clinical trials
A Phase Ib clinical study is underway that includes evaluating the potential of combining nivolumab, which is designed to alleviate immune suppression, with ABBV-399 to explore the tolerability and potential efficacy of the combination in subjects with advanced c-Met overexpressing NSCLC who failed one prior line of chemotherapy.
“Cancer remains one of the most challenging medical conditions for patients and physicians,” noted Tom Hudson, M.D., vice president, oncology early discovery and development, AbbVie.
“Therapeutic advances continue to be achieved every day and we are committed to exploring the potential of our investigational compounds with other approved treatments with the goal to deliver a significant impact to patients,” Hudson added.
“We continue to explore the potential of novel combinations of medicines with Opdivo, and AbbVie’s investigational treatments will help evaluate the role of new targets in combination with immunotherapy,” said Fouad Namouni, M.D., Head of Development, Oncology, Bristol-Myers Squibb.
“We look forward to continuing to partner our PD1 with AbbVie’s early- and late-stage assets as a possible treatment option for patients with lung cancer,” Namouni concluded.
AbbVie is the sponsor conducting the trial. Specific terms of the agreement between the two companies were not disclosed.
