Incyte, Merck launch studies examining combination of cancer drugs

Incyte Corp. and Merck have initiated a clinical development program that will examine the possibility of combining epacadostat, Incyte’s investigational oral selective IDO1 enzyme inhibitor, with Keytruda (pembrolizumab), Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy, in patients with metastatic melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), bladder cancer, renal cell carcinoma (RCC), and squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN).
“We are pleased to announce further details of our collaboration with Merck and to be moving forward with multiple Phase 3 studies in these four additional tumor types as quickly as possible,” Steven Stein, chief medical officer for Incyte, said in a statement. “We look forward to our continued clinical collaboration, the initiation of these additional pivotal trials and to further exploring the potential of this novel immune-therapy combination as a treatment for patients with cancer.”
The companies are collaborating on seven studies related to this issue. A Phase 3 study on the combination’s effects on patients with metastatic melanoma is underway. Two Phase 3 studies will examine first-line NSCLC, two will examine bladder cancer, one will examine first-line RCC and one will examine first-line SCCHN.
“Our clinical trial program with Incyte represents an important part of our multi-pronged efforts to investigate the potential for KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) in combination with promising compounds, such as epacadostat,” Dr. Roy Baynes, chief medical officer at Merck Research Laboratories, said.