Imugene and Roche partner to evaluate PD1-Vaxx with Tecentriq for non-small cell lung cancer
Clinical stage immuno-oncology company Imugene (ASX: IMU) will collaborate with global biopharmaceutical company Roche on an Imprinter trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of lead candidate IMU-201 (PD1-Vaxx) combined with atezolizumab (Tecentriq) for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
The open label Phase 1/1b trial is based on B-cell immunotherapy as monotherapy or in combination with atezolizumab with or without chemotherapy in adults with the disease.
It will aim to determine the safety, efficacy and optimal dose of PD1-Vaxx as therapy in ICI (immune checkpoint inhibitor) treatment-naïve NSCLC patients or ICI pre-treated patients.
The trial will be conducted at sites in the US and Australia and will be sponsored by Imugene from its existing budgets and resources.
Roche will supply quantities of atezolizumab for the duration of the study.
The supply agreement is for a period of up to five years and all data generated during the trial will remain the property of Imugene.
Under the terms of the deal, the rights to all inventions and discoveries made or conceived in the course of the study which relate to the combination of atezolizumab and PD1-Vaxx will belong jointly to Imugene and Roche.
Immune checkpoint inhibitor
Tecentriq has been developed by Roche as an immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) targeting the PD-L1 protein which is expressed on tumour cells and tumour-infiltrating immune cells.
It has previously shown clinically-meaningful benefit in various types of lung cancer, with six currently approved indications in the US.
In addition to becoming the first approved cancer immunotherapy for adjuvant NSCLC, Tecentriq was also the first approved cancer immunotherapy for front-line treatment of adults with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC) in combination with carboplatin and etoposide chemotherapies.
Tecentriq has four approved indications in advanced NSCLC as either a single agent or in combination with targeted therapies and chemotherapies.
Treatment options
Dual targeting of the PD-1/PD-L1 axis is an area of growing interest which provides treatment options for patients with cancer.
Imugene managing director Leslie Chong said a combination of Tecentriq with PD1-Vaxx may overcome treatment resistance to ICIs with dual inhibition of the PD-1/PD-L1 axis extending the treatment benefit of atezolizumab.
“It is an outstanding accomplishment to see Imugene collaborate with Roche, in combination with our PD1-Vaxx drug.”
“PD1-Vaxx has shown a tolerable safety profile and encouraging efficacy in patients with NSCLC and with the first patient being dosed today, we are looking forward to evaluating PD1-Vaxx with atezolizumab in ICI treatment-naïve and pre-treated NSCLC patients,” she added.