- Investors appear disappointed with interim data from a Phase 1/2 clinical trial, ILLUMINATE-204, assessing Idera Pharmaceuticals ' (IDRA -10.7%) tilsotolimod in metastatic melanoma patients who failed to respond to PD-1 inhibitor therapy. The results were presented at ASCO in Chicago.
- The overall response rate was 38% (n=8/21), including two complete responses, in advanced melanoma patients receiving the combination of tilsotolimod, an intratumorally administered toll-like receptor 9 agonist, and Bristol-Myers Squibb's (BMY -4.4%) Yervoy (ipilimumab) after switching from Merck's (MRK +2.2%) Keytruda (pembrolizumab). The ORR was only 13% in patients who switched to Yervoy alone. Median duration of response has not been reached. The disease control rate (responders + stable cancer) was 71% (n=15/21).
- Enrollment of up to 60 subjects should be completed by year-end.
- A Phase 3 study, ILLUMINATE-301, assessing tilsotolimod + ipilimumab compared to ipilimumab alone in anti-PD-1-refractory melanoma was launched last quarter.
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