Pfizer signs ‘personalised’ cancer collaboration
pharmafile | January 15, 2010 | News story | Research and Development | Cancer, Debiopharm, Pfizer, melanoma, skin cancer, tremelimumab
Pfizer is to co-develop its monoclonal antibody treatment for advanced melanoma with Swiss company Debiopharm.
The companies will conduct phase III trials of Pfizer’s investigational compound tremelimumab (CP-675,206) in unresectable, Stage IV melanoma and use a biomarker to select patients most likely to respond to treatment.
President and general manager of Pfizer’s Oncology Business Unit Garry Nicholson said: “The continuation of the clinical development of tremelimumab with our partner, Debiopharm, is a demonstration of our commitment to personalised medicine for cancer patients.
“Debiopharm is a successful company which has achieved impressive results on a global scale. This co-development partnership is an opportunity to leverage the combined expertise of both companies in this innovative endeavour.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Debiopharm will assume responsibility for conducting the phase III trial of tremelimumab and Pfizer will retain responsibility for worldwide commercialisation of the compound.
In April 2008 Pfizer discontinued a phase III trial of tremelimumab for patients with advanced melanoma after the Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) review of interim data showed that the trial would not demonstrate superiority to standard chemotherapy.
Analysis of the data from this trial identified the biomarker that will be used in patient selection for the upcoming trial.
Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, occurs in about 69,000 patients in the United States each year, and results in about 9,000 deaths. The number of melanoma cases worldwide is increasing faster than any other cancer.
Financial terms of the co-development agreement between Debiopharm and Pfizer have not been disclosed.
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