BMS, Advaxis Form Clinical Pact

Advaxis, a biopharmaceutical company developing immunotherapies, and Bristol-Myers Squibb have formed a clinical development collaboration to evaluate Advaxis’ ADXS-DUAL, an investigational immunotherapy targeting HPV-associated cancers, and Bristol-Myers Squibb’s PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor, Opdivo (nivolumab), as a potential combination treatment option for women with metastatic cervical cancer.

Expected to start by the end of this year, the study will evaluate this combination regimen in women with persistent, recurrent or metastatic (squamous or non-squamous cell) carcinoma of the cervix who have failed at least one prior line of systemic chemotherapy. Under the agreement, each party will bear their own internal costs and provide its immunotherapy agents. Advaxis will sponsor the study and pay third-party costs.

Opdivo is a blockbuster anti-cancer drug for BMS with 2016 sales of $3.77 billion. In the US, Opdivo is indicated for treating BRAF V600 mutation-positive unresectable or metastatic melanoma and BRAF V600 wild-type unresectable or metastatic melanoma as a single agent; unresectable or metastatic melanoma in combination with Yervoy (ipilimumab); metastatic non-small cell lung cancer; advanced renal cell carcinoma; classical Hodgkin lymphoma; recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck; and locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma.

Advaxis developed ADXS-DUAL by building on the learnings from the clinical development of axalimogene filolisbac and has incorporated additional HPV target antigens into its Listeria monocytogenes bacterial vector.

Source: Bristol-Myers Squibb

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