- Leap Therapeutics (LPTX +5.4%) inks a clinical trial collaboration agreement with Merck (MRK +0.9%) to investigate the combination of DKN-01 and KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) for the treatment of relapsed/refractory advanced esophagogastric cancers.
- Leap VP, Clinical Development Cynthia Sirard, M.D., says, “This clinical collaboration with Merck is the first of the combination immunotherapy studies we plan to initiate in each of our two programs, DKN-01 and TRX518. Combining DKN-01 with KEYTRUDA has a strong scientific rationale and offers hope to patients with few treatment options."
- Additional terms of the partnership are not disclosed, but Merck is principally just supplying product (at least initially).
- DKN-01 is a humanized IgG4 monoclonal antibody that binds to Dickkopf-1 (DKK1), a protein associated with a poor prognosis in a range of cancers. Specifically, it inhibits a pathway called canonical Wnt/Beta-catenin which plays a key role in embryonic development, cell proliferation and differentiation.
- Pembrolizumab helps the immune system fight tumor cells by blocking the interaction between PD-1, a cell surface receptor expressed on T cells and pro-B cells, and its ligands PD-L1 and PD-L2. PD-1 is an immune checkpoint which down regulates the immune system.
- Now read: More Dividend Growth Coming For Merck's Owners
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