Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) has entered a clinical collaboration with biopharmaceutical firm Apexigen to assess the combination of Opdivo (nivolumab) with APX005M for the treatment of advanced solid tumours.

Apexigen’s APX005M is an investigational, humanised, monoclonal antibody that induces immune co-stimulatory receptor CD40, which is reported to regulate the stimulation of innate and adaptive immune responses to cancer.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Premium Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Opdivo is BMS' PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor with regulatory approval in 57 countries such as the US, Japan and the European Union.

The safety, tolerability and preliminary efficacy of the combination therapy will be evaluated in patients with second-line metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), who have failed chemotherapy, as well as in metastatic melanoma patients who have experienced I-O therapy failure.

"Our agreement with Apexigen builds on our continued focus to bring forward potential novel combination treatment options for patients with cancer."

Bristol-Myers Squibb oncology development head Fouad Namouni said: “Targeting the tumour microenvironment through activation of antigen-presenting cells is a novel approach that we are excited to add to our Immuno-Oncology strategy as we continue to advance research for cancers with limited treatment options.

See Also:

“Our agreement with Apexigen builds on our continued focus to bring forward potential novel combination treatment options for patients with cancer.”

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

The preclinical results of APX005M indicated that the antibody imitates the endogenous immune activation by triggering CD40.

Opdivo is developed to overcome the immune suppression associated with PD-1 pathway.

It is expected that the combination therapy will activate antigen presenting cells (APC) present in the tumour microenvironment, resulting in a potent immune response against the cancer.