Pfizer and Summit Therapeutics Collaborate on Innovative Cancer Therapy Combinations

Pfizer and Summit Therapeutics have entered into a clinical trial collaboration to evaluate ivonescimab, a novel PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody, in combination with several of Pfizer's antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) across multiple solid tumor settings2 6.

Ivonescimab, developed by Akeso and licensed to Summit Therapeutics, is the most advanced PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody in clinical development in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Japan, and Latin America4.

The collaboration aims to accelerate the development of potentially landscape-changing combinations to improve standards of care for cancer patients with serious unmet needs2.

Studies combining ivonescimab with Pfizer's vedotin ADCs are planned to begin in mid-2025, focusing on individual, distinct solid tumor types3 6.

Summit will provide ivonescimab for the studies, while Pfizer will be responsible for conducting the operations. Both companies will oversee the studies and retain their respective rights to their products6.

This partnership follows impressive results from a phase 3 trial where ivonescimab outperformed Merck's Keytruda in first-line treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), reducing the risk of disease progression or death by 49%7.

Ivonescimab's unique cooperative binding mechanism results in increased binding strength to both PD-1 and VEGF targets, potentially improving anti-tumor activity4.

The collaboration represents a strategic move by both companies to explore the potential synergies between bispecific antibodies and ADCs in cancer treatment2 3.