Athenex Announces Clinical Collaboration with Merck to Evaluate Oraxol plus KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
Athenex, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATNX) announced a collaboration with Merck to support the expansion phase of a Phase 1 clinical trial. This phase evaluates Athenex's oral paclitaxel in combination with Merck’s KEYTRUDA® for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. The trial aims to further explore the encouraging preliminary results from the KX-ORAX-011 trial. A Joint Development Committee will be formed to review these results as the expansion cohort actively recruits around 50 participants who have progressed on previous therapies.
- Collaboration with Merck boosts potential for Athenex's oral paclitaxel.
- Expansion phase of Phase 1 trial shows promising preliminary results.
- Active recruitment of approximately 50 NSCLC patients supports growth opportunities.
- None.
BUFFALO, N.Y., May 16, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Athenex, Inc., (NASDAQ: ATNX), a global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel therapies for the treatment of cancer and related conditions, today announced a clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement with Merck (known as MSD outside the US and Canada). The agreement applies to the expansion phase of the Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating Athenex’s oral paclitaxel in combination with Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) for certain NSCLC patients.
The agreement will support the expansion phase of the trial to further investigate the preliminary encouraging results of the KX-ORAX-011 Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating Oraxol (encequidar plus oral paclitaxel) in combination with pembrolizumab for certain NSCLC patients. The two companies will form a Joint Development Committee to review the clinical trial results.
“We are keen to collaborate with Merck to further investigate the therapeutic potential of Oraxol plus KEYTRUDA® in patients with NSCLC patients who progressed on previous anti-PD1/ anti-PD-L1 therapy or in combination with chemotherapy,” said Dr. Rudolf Kwan, Chief Medical Officer of Athenex. “If the preliminary efficacy and safety data can be confirmed, it may lead to a new paradigm in the treatment of certain NSCLC patients.”
KX-ORAX-011 is an ongoing Phase 1 trial evaluating Oraxol in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with advanced solid tumors. Following completion of the dose escalation phase, the expansion phase is currently evaluating the combination therapy in patients with NSCLC who progressed on previous anti-PD1/ anti-PD-L1 therapy or in combination with chemotherapy. The NSCLC expansion cohort is actively recruiting and aims to enroll approximately 50 patients.
KEYTRUDA® is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA.
About Oral Paclitaxel
Athenex’s oral paclitaxel and encequidar (“oral paclitaxel”) is in the earlier stages of development for solid malignancies. Encequidar, the cornerstone of Athenex’s Orascovery technology platform, is a highly specific and potent inhibitor of the transport protein called P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. By localizing P-gp inhibitory activity in the GI tract, encequidar improves the absorption of chemotherapeutic agents while limiting the potential for unnecessary P-gp inhibition at other sites in the body. The potency, selectivity, and low absorption of encequidar enables the oral administration of IV chemotherapies.
About Athenex, Inc.
Founded in 2003, Athenex, Inc. is a global clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to becoming a leader in the discovery, development, and commercialization of next generation cell therapy drugs for the treatment of cancer. In pursuit of this mission, Athenex leverages years of experience in research and development, clinical trials, regulatory standards, and manufacturing. The Company’s current clinical pipeline is derived mainly from the following core technologies: (1) Cell therapy based on NKT cells, (2) Orascovery, based on a P-glycoprotein inhibitor, and (3) Src Kinase Inhibition. Athenex’s employees worldwide are dedicated to improving the lives of cancer patients by creating more active, accessible and tolerable treatments. For more information, please visit www.athenex.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Except for historical information, all of the statements, expectations, and assumptions contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are typically identified by terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “expect,” “guidance,” “implementing,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “underway,” “will,” and similar expressions. Actual results might differ materially from those explicit or implicit in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include: our history of operating losses and our need and ability to raise additional capital to continue as a going concern; our ability to successfully redirect our resources and reduce our operating expenses; our ability to uncertainties around our ability to enter into new financing agreements as we are unable to meet funding conditions under our existing financing agreements and access to capital thereunder; the development stage of our primary clinical candidates, including NKT Cell Therapy and related risks involved in drug development, clinical trials, regulation, uncertainties around regulatory reviews and approvals; the preclinical and clinical results for Athenex’s drug candidates, which may not support further development of such drug candidates; the Company’s ability to successfully demonstrate the safety and efficacy of its drug candidates and gain approval of its drug candidates on a timely basis, if at all; risks related to our ability to successfully integrate the business of Kuur into our existing businesses, including uncertainties associated with maintaining relationships with customers, vendors and employees, as well as differences in operations, cultures, and management philosophies that may delay successful integration and our ability to support the added cost burden of Kuur’s business; risks related to counterparty performance, including our reliance on third parties for success in certain areas of Athenex’s business; risks and uncertainties inherent in litigation, including purported stockholder class actions; risks and uncertainties related to the COVID-19 pandemic and its ongoing impact on our operations, supply chain, cash flow and financial condition; competition; intellectual property risks; risks relating to doing business internationally and in China; the risk of development, operational delays, production slowdowns or stoppages or other interruptions at our manufacturing facility as well as our ability to find alternative sources of supply to meet our obligations and requirements; whether we enter into a preferred contract manufacturing agreement with ImmunityBio; the risk that our common stock will be delisted from the Nasdaq Global Market if we are unable to regain compliance with its continued listing standards, and the other risk factors set forth from time to time in our SEC filings, copies of which are available for free in the Investor Relations section of our website at http://ir.athenex.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=254495&p=irol-sec or upon request from our Investor Relations Department. All information provided in this release is as of the date hereof and we assume no obligation and do not intend to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.
Athenex Contacts
Investors
Daniel Lang, MD
Athenex, Inc.
Email: danlang@athenex.com
Caileigh Dougherty
Athenex, Inc.
Email: cdougherty@athenex.com
FAQ
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