Arcus Biosciences, Inc. (NYSE:RCUS), a clinical-stage, global biopharmaceutical company focused on developing differentiated molecules and combination therapies for people with cancer and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, today announced a clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement with Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY, "BMS"))). Under the agreement, Arcus will supply casdatifan, the company's investigational small-molecule HIF-2a inhibitor, to be evaluated as part of the BMS-sponsored Phase 1/2 ROSETTA RCC-208 clinical trial. This trial evaluates pumitamig (BNT327/BMS986545), an investigational PD-L1/VEGF-A bispecific antibody, being jointly developed by BioNTech and Bristol Myers Squibb, alone or in combination with other potential treatment options in advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC).
As part of this clinical trial collaboration, casdatifan combinations will be added as two new arms of ROSETTA RCC-208. Each company will retain development and commercial rights to their respective assets, and the agreement is mutually non-exclusive.
"We believe casdatifan can transform the treatment paradigm in kidney cancer, and our development strategy is designed to generate evidence needed to establish casdatifan as a backbone therapy so that every patient has the opportunity to benefit from casdatifan across each line of therapy," said Terry Rosen, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Arcus. "HIF-2a inhibition, PD-L1 and VEGF-A blockade are validated mechanisms in the treatment of kidney cancer with a strong biologic rationale for combination. This strategic collaboration with BMS is a top priority for Arcus in order to potentially deliver an additional effective TKI-free option in the first-line setting."
This collaboration is part of Arcus's holistic development strategy that is intended to provide physicians and patients with: 1) a casdatifan-based and only HIF-2a inhibitor-inclusive TKI-sparing first-line treatment; 2) a casdatifan-based TKI-inclusive first-line regimen; 3) a second-line HIF-2a inhibitor treatment that builds on the second-line standard-of-care TKI, cabozantinib; and 4) a late-line therapy that has been clinically validated to also provide benefit in patients previously treated with a HIF-2a inhibitor-based therapy.