Israeli-based, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company BioLineRx has agreed to collaborate with the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to conduct the Phase II trial for evaluation of BL-8040 in combination with Keytruda (pembrolizumab) to treat pancreatic cancer.

BL-8040 is developed as a short peptide and acts as a high-affinity antagonist for CXCR4, a chemokine receptor directly responsible for tumour progression, angiogenesis, metastasis and cell survival. Merck's humanised monoclonal antibody, Keytruda, boosts the body's immunity system to detect and fight tumour cells.

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It resists PD-1 from interacting with its ligands, PD-L1 and PD-L2, subsequently activating T-lymphocytes that may affect both tumour and healthy cells.

The Phase II trial is designed as an open-label, single centre, single-arm study to determine the mechanism that will synergise both the drugs to treat pancreatic cancer.

"We believe that the combination of BL-8040 with Keytruda has the potential to expand the benefit of immunotherapy to cancer types currently resistant to immuno-oncology treatments."

The trial will also be focused on assessing the biological anti-tumour effects resulting from the combination of BL-8040 and Keytruda.

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BioLineRx CEO Kinneret Savitsky said: "We believe that the combination of BL-8040 with Keytruda has the potential to expand the benefit of immunotherapy to cancer types currently resistant to immuno-oncology treatments, such as pancreatic cancer, which represent a significant unmet medical need.

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"Furthermore, we view BL-8040's inhibition of CXCR4, which may affect the immunosuppressive tumour micro-environment, as potentially synergistic with immune checkpoint inhibitors in additional oncological indications."

The company is also planning to initiate another Phase IIa COMBAT study to assess the efficacy of BL-8040 in combination with Keytruda.

BioLineRx will conduct the study in collaboration with MSD Pharmaceuticals (Merck).