Merck, Pfizer collaborate with Dako to develop avelumab
DARMSTADT, Germany, September 25, 2015
Merck and Pfizer have signed a collaboration agreement with Dako, an Agilent Technology company, for the development of a potential companion diagnostic test (CDx), as part of a global strategic alliance to jointly develop and commercialise avelumab, an investigational immune checkpoint inhibitor.
The three-party deal, signed recently, will enable Dako, Merck and Pfizer to work to develop the CDx to assess programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) protein expression levels in tumour tissue, and its microenvironment, including tumor-associated immune cells, said a statement.
The investigational CDx will be a part of the protocols in ongoing clinical trials of avelumab, some of which will be reported at upcoming scientific congresses, it said.
The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Avelumab is the proposed International Nonproprietary Name (INN) for the anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody (MSB0010718C), the statement said.
It is currently under clinical investigation and has not been approved for use in the US, EU, Canada, or elsewhere, it said.
All investigational products have not yet been proven to be either safe or effective and any claims of safety and effectiveness can be made only after regulatory review of the data and approval of the labeled claims, it added. - TradeArabia News Service
