Local collaboration with Roche sets stage for breakthrough lung cancer treatment

Pharma News: In a ground-breaking collaboration, an Australian clinical stage immuno-oncology company has teamed up with global biopharmaceutical giant Roche to embark on a new clinical trial. Imugene’s Imprinter trial aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of their lead candidate IMU-201, also known as PD1-Vaxx, in combination with Roche’s immune checkpoint inhibitor Tecentriq (atezolizumab) for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

The Phase 1/1b trial, which is open label, will focus on B-cell immunotherapy as a potential monotherapy or in combination with Tecentriq, with or without chemotherapy. The study will involve adults with NSCLC and will determine the optimal dose and efficacy of PD1-Vaxx as a therapeutic option for both ICI treatment-naïve patients and those who have been pre-treated with ICIs.

Imugene’s Managing Director, Leslie Chong, expressed optimism about the collaboration, highlighting the potential of combining Tecentriq with PD1-Vaxx to overcome treatment resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors. By dual inhibiting the PD-1/PD-L1 axis, the goal is to extend the treatment benefits of atezolizumab.

Ms Chong described the partnership with Roche as an “outstanding accomplishment” and emphasised the tolerable safety profile and promising efficacy of PD1-Vaxx in NSCLC patients. With the first patient having received their initial dose, the team is eager to evaluate the combined therapy in both treatment-naïve and pre-treated NSCLC patients.

The trial will be conducted at multiple sites in Australia and the United States, sponsored by Imugene utilising their existing budgets and resources. Roche will supply the required quantities of Tecentriq for the duration of the study. The supply agreement spans up to five years, and all data generated during the trial will remain the property of Imugene.

Under the terms of the collaboration, any inventions or discoveries related to the combination of Tecentriq and PD1-Vaxx will be jointly owned by Imugene and Roche. This arrangement solidifies their commitment to driving advancements in the field of immunotherapy and fosters a collaborative environment for the development of potential breakthrough treatments.

Notably, Tecentriq became the first approved cancer immunotherapy for adjuvant NSCLC, as well as the first approved cancer immunotherapy for front-line treatment of extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC) in combination with carboplatin and etoposide chemotherapies.

The collaboration between Imugene and Roche represents a remarkable step forward in the fight against lung cancer, offering hope for improved treatment options and outcomes for patients diagnosed with NSCLC.

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