UK-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca has established a clinical trial collaboration with Peregrine Pharmaceuticals to assess the safety and efficacy of bavituximab in combination with durvalumab (MEDI4736) in multiple solid tumours.
The Phase I / Ib trial has been designed to assess the safety and efficacy of Peregrine’s investigational phosphatidylserine (PS) signalling pathway inhibitor bavituximab in combination with AstraZeneca’s investigational anti-PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitor durvalumab.
Bavituximab and durvalumab are investigational immunotherapies with different mechanisms, which will help the body’s immune system to fight against cancer.
Bavituximab is said to target and modulate the activity of phosphatidylserine, while durvalumab is a monoclonal antibody directed against programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1).
AstraZeneca global medicines development, immuno-oncology head Robert Iannone said: "We believe that combination therapy in immuno-oncology has the potential to be a novel and highly effective approach to treating cancer."
Both firms will partner on a non-exclusive basis to assess the combination of bavituximab and durvalumab with chemotherapy as a potential treatment in various solid tumours.
The study’s Phase I part is expected to establish a recommended dose regimen for the combination, while the Phase Ib part of the trial will evaluate safety and efficacy of the investigational combination.
Peregrine will take responsibility of the initial trial.
Peregrine president and CEO Steven King said: "Data generated to date have shown significant potential for combining bavituximab with agents targeting the PD-1 / PDL-1 pathway and we’re excited to further explore this approach in studies with durvalumab."
Image: AstraZeneca’s R&D Site in Mölndal, Sweden. Photo: courtesy of Erik031.
