Pfizer Plots Path Outside of Melanoma in Bid to Join Cancer Race

January 16, 2015
By Krystle Vermes, BioSpace.com Breaking News Staff

Biopharmaceutical company Pfizer Inc. has seen its competitors win the backing of regulators for melanoma drugs as of late, according to Bloomberg. As a result, it will not look to get immediate approval for its own experimental drugs for melanoma.

Now, Pfizer appears to be focusing on research for drugs that use the immune system to attack tumors. This shows a new direction for the company, charting a path toward different types of cancer treatments. Pfizer’s head of research and development, Mikael Dolsten, said in an interview that there simply isn’t enough of an opportunity left in the melanoma realm.

A Move Toward Immuno-Oncology
Pfizer announced back in November 2014 that it had entered an agreement with Merck KGaA to develop and commercialize MSB0010718C, an investigational anti-PD-L1 antibody in development by PMerckP for the treatment of multiple types of cancer. As a result this marketed PPfizerP’s move to accelerate a presence in the immuno-oncology industry.

“This global alliance enables Pfizer and Merck KGaA to join forces and combine complementary strengths with the goal of meeting the needs of patients with multiple types of cancer,” said Albert Bourla, group president of the vaccines, oncology and consumer healthcare businesses at Pfizer. “Immuno-oncology is a top priority for Pfizer. Combining this promising anti-PD-L1 antibody with Pfizer’s extensive portfolio of small molecules and antibodies, provides an opportunity to potentially broaden the use of immunotherapy for patients with cancer and rapidly expand our oncology business.”

Pfizer and Merck KGaA also decided to combine their resources and expertise to advance Pfizer ’s own anti-PD-1 antibody into Phase 1 trials. Under the terms of the agreement, Merck KGaA was eligible to receive an upfront payment of $850 million, as well as regulatory and commercial milestone payments up to $2 billion.

“Collaborating globally with Pfizer will allow us to benefit from the strengths and capabilities of both companies in immuno-oncology, further accelerating this promising asset in the race to address the needs of cancer patients across multiple tumor types. Up to 20 high priority immuno-oncology clinical development programs are expected to commence in 2015, including pivotal registration studies,” said Belén Garijo, president and chief executive officer of Merck’s biopharmaceutical division.

Merck’s PD-L1 in patient trials have shown consistent, positive results thus far within the class of PD-1 and PD-L1 antibodies.