MorphoSys has commenced patient dosing in a Phase II study of anti-CD19 antibody MOR208 for the treatment of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL).
The open-label, multicentre trial will evaluate MOR208’s efficacy in patients with relapsed or refractory NHL.
MorphoSys chief development officer Dr Arndt Schottelius said the MOR208 cancer programme has considerable potential.
"Evaluating MOR208 in NHL and B-ALL – building on the data we already have for CLL – should enable us to assess the therapeutic benefit and broader commercial potential of the molecule in haematological malignancies," Schottelius said.
"Broadening the drug’s development programme into additional indications is intended to maximise the value of this compound."
Secondary outcome measures of the single-arm clinical trial include response duration, safety and pharmacokinetics of MOR208.
The trial is scheduled to be conducted at sites across both Europe and the US, will enrol around120 patients in four separate sub-indications (FL, MCL, DLBCL and other forms of indolent NHL).
At present, the compound is also being evaluated in a Phase II trial in B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (B-ALL).
The company gained worldwide rights to the potent Fc-optimised anti-CD19 antibody through an exclusive license and collaboration agreement with Xencor in 2010.
Image: Intermediate magnification micrograph of mantle cell lymphoma of the terminal ileum. Endoscopic biopsy. H&E stain. Photo: Nephron.
