MRK - Immutep Up as Combo Therapy Meets Carcinoma Study Goals | Benzinga
Immutep Limited (NASDAQ: IMMP) jumped 14.9% after it announced positive results from cohort B of the late-stage TACTI-003 (KEYNOTE-PNC-34) study. The study evaluated the combination of its pipeline candidate eftilagimod alfa (efti) and Merck's (NYSE: MRK) Keytruda (pembrolizumab) as a first-line treatment for patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (1L HNSCC) with negative PD-L1 expression.
Efti is Immutep's proprietary soluble LAG-3 protein and MHC Class II agonist, which is being developed for cancer treatment.
Per the data readout from cohort B of the phase III study, the investigational immuno-oncology combination achieved an objective response rate (ORR) of 35.5% and a disease control rate (DCR) of 58.1% in 1L HNSCC patients with negative PD-L1 expression, according to RECIST 1.1 criteria. Please note that the ORR was the primary endpoint of the study.
These results, obtained for a chemotherapy-free approach, are notably higher than the historical control of 5.4% ORR and 32.4% DCR for anti-PD-1 monotherapy. The combo regimen of efti and Merck's Keytruda also showed a high complete response rate of 9.7% compared with 0% in historical controls from anti-PD-1 monotherapy in the ...