- Companies intend to initiate pivotal trial evaluating CABOMETYX™ (cabozantinib) with Opdivo® (nivolumab) alone or in combination with Yervoy® (ipilimumab) in first-line renal cell carcinoma
- Planning additional studies in bladder cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA & NEW YORK, NY, USA I February 27, 2017 I Exelixis, Inc. (Nasdaq:EXEL) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) today announced the companies have entered into a clinical development collaboration to evaluate CABOMETYX™ (cabozantinib), Exelixis’ small molecule inhibitor of receptor tyrosine kinases, with Opdivo (nivolumab), Bristol-Myers Squibb’s PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor, either alone or in combination with Yervoy (ipilimumab). The clinical development program, which will be co-funded by the companies, is expected to include a phase 3 pivotal trial in first-line renal cell carcinoma, with additional trials planned in bladder cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and potentially other tumor types.
“The safety and efficacy data from the phase 1 clinical trial evaluating CABOMETYX in combination with Opdivo are consistent with the preclinical scientific rationale for combining these two therapeutic modalities,” said Michael M. Morrissey, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Exelixis. “This clinical development collaboration will provide the resources and collaborative framework to fully evaluate the potential for this combination, with and without Yervoy, in both late-stage pivotal and exploratory trials in a variety of forms of cancer. We look forward to working with Bristol-Myers Squibb to further understand the role these combination therapies may play in helping patients on a global basis.”
“Combining our Immuno-Oncology portfolio with promising agents which target different and complementary pathways is a key component of our strategy to improve treatment outcomes for patients,” said Fouad Namouni, M.D., head of Development, Oncology, Bristol-Myers Squibb. “We look forward to working with Exelixis, bringing together our knowledge and experience in oncology, to evaluate the potential clinical value of combining these therapies to treat multiple tumors.”
The clinical development collaboration builds upon previously published preclinical and clinical data that provide a scientific rationale for combining CABOMETYX with immunotherapies, including phase 1 data of CABOMETYX in combination with Opdivo in patients with previously treated genitourinary tumors that were presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2016 Congress. Updated results from this part of the study as well as results from a second part evaluating the combination of CABOMETYX, Opdivo and Yervoy were presented during the poster discussion session (Abstract #293) on February 17 at the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2017 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, which was held in Orlando, Florida, February 16 – 18, 2017.
CABOMETYX and Opdivo have both received approval in the United States and European Union for specific uses in previously treated renal cell carcinoma, and both compounds are the subject of ongoing, global phase 3 pivotal trials in hepatocellular carcinoma. Opdivo is approved in the United States for previously treated bladder cancer.
About Exelixis’ Collaboration with Ipsen
On February 29, 2016, Exelixis and Ipsen jointly announced an exclusive licensing agreement for the commercialization and further development of cabozantinib indications outside of the United States, Canada and Japan. On December 21, 2016, this agreement was amended to include commercialization rights for Ipsen in Canada. Ipsen, Exelixis’ global partner for cabozantinib in all geographies outside the United States and Japan, has opted in to participate in the phase 3 pivotal trial in first-line renal cell carcinoma and will have access to the results to support potential future regulatory submissions. They may also participate in future studies at their choosing.
About Exelixis’ Collaboration with Takeda
On January 30, 2017, Exelixis and Takeda jointly announced an exclusive licensing agreement for the commercialization and further development of cabozantinib indications in Japan. Takeda may also participate in these and future studies and have access to the results to support potential future regulatory submissions in their territories, if they opt into their funding obligations under the respective collaboration agreements.
Exelixis holds the exclusive rights to develop and commercialize cabozantinib in the United States.
About CABOMETYX™ (cabozantinib)
CABOMETYX is the tablet formulation of cabozantinib. Its targets include MET, AXL and VEGFR-1, -2 and -3. In preclinical models, cabozantinib has been shown to inhibit the activity of these receptors, which are involved in normal cellular function and pathologic processes such as tumor angiogenesis, invasiveness, metastasis and drug resistance.
CABOMETYX is available in 20 mg, 40 mg or 60 mg doses. The recommended dose is 60 mg orally, once daily.
On April 25, 2016, the FDA approved CABOMETYX tablets for the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma who have received prior anti-angiogenic therapy. On September 9, 2016, the European Commission approved CABOMETYX tablets for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma in adults who have received prior vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-targeted therapy in the European Union, Norway and Iceland.
About the Opdivo Clinical Development Program
Bristol-Myers Squibb’s global development program founded on scientific expertise in the field of Immuno-Oncology includes a broad range of clinical trials studying Opdivo, across all phases, including Phase 3, in a variety of tumor types. To date, the Opdivo clinical development program has enrolled more than 25,000 patients.
About the Bristol-Myers Squibb and Ono Pharmaceutical Collaboration
In 2011, through a collaboration agreement with Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Bristol-Myers Squibb expanded its territorial rights to develop and commercialize Opdivo globally except in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, where Ono had retained all rights to the compound at the time. On July 2014, Ono and Bristol-Myers Squibb further expanded the companies’ strategic collaboration agreement to jointly develop and commercialize multiple immunotherapies – as single agents and combination regimens – for patients with cancer in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.
OPDIVO AND YERVOY INDICATIONS
OPDIVO® (nivolumab) as a single agent is indicated for the treatment of patients with BRAF V600 mutation-positive unresectable or metastatic melanoma. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on progression-free survival. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials.
OPDIVO® (nivolumab) as a single agent is indicated for the treatment of patients with BRAF V600 wild-type unresectable or metastatic melanoma.
OPDIVO® (nivolumab), in combination with YERVOY® (ipilimumab), is indicated for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on progression-free survival. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials.
OPDIVO® (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy. Patients with EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations should have disease progression on FDA-approved therapy for these aberrations prior to receiving OPDIVO.
OPDIVO® (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who have received prior anti-angiogenic therapy.
OPDIVO® (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) that has relapsed or progressed after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and post-transplantation brentuximab vedotin. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.
OPDIVO® (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) with disease progression on or after platinum-based therapy.
OPDIVO® (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma who have disease progression during or following platinum-containing chemotherapy or have disease progression within 12 months of neoadjuvant or adjuvant treatment with platinum-containing chemotherapy. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.
About Exelixis
Exelixis, Inc. (Nasdaq:EXEL) is a biopharmaceutical company committed to the discovery, development and commercialization of new medicines to improve care and outcomes for people with cancer. Since its founding in 1994, three products discovered at Exelixis have progressed through clinical development, received regulatory approval, and entered the marketplace. Two are derived from cabozantinib, an inhibitor of multiple tyrosine kinases including MET, AXL and VEGF receptors: CABOMETYX™ tablets approved for previously treated advanced kidney cancer and COMETRIQ® capsules approved for progressive, metastatic medullary thyroid cancer. The third product, Cotellic®, is a formulation of cobimetinib, a selective inhibitor of MEK, is marketed under a collaboration with Genentech (a member of the Roche Group), and is approved as part of a combination regimen to treat advanced melanoma. Both cabozantinib and cobimetinib have shown potential in a variety of forms of cancer and are the subjects of broad clinical development programs. For more information on Exelixis, please visit www.exelixis.com or follow @ExelixisInc on Twitter.
About Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol-Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. For more information about Bristol-Myers Squibb, visit us at BMS.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.
SOURCE: Bristol-Myers Squibb
