On July 15, 2020 Novocure (NASDAQ: NVCR) reported it has entered into a clinical trial collaboration agreement with MSD (a tradename of Merck & Co., Inc.), through a subsidiary, to develop Tumor Treating Fields together with MSD’s anti-PD-1 therapy KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) for treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (Press release, NovoCure, JUL 15, 2020, View Source [SID1234561879]). Novocure’s Tumor Treating Fields use electric fields tuned to specific frequencies to disrupt cell division, inhibiting tumor growth and causing cancer cells to die.
Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:
Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing
Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!
The two companies plan to conduct a phase 2 pilot study of Tumor Treating Fields concomitant with KEYTRUDA for first-line treatment of intrathoracic advanced or metastatic, PD-L1 positive NSCLC. The study is designed to enroll approximately 66 patients in the United States and is expected to begin in the second half of 2020. Objective response rate (ORR) is the primary endpoint of the study. Secondary endpoints include overall survival, progression free survival (PFS), PFS at six months, one-year survival rate, duration of response, disease control rate at 18 weeks and safety.
"We are very pleased to collaborate with MSD, a global leader in oncology, in this important combination study as we strive to extend survival in some of the most aggressive forms of cancer through the development and commercialization of Tumor Treating Fields," said William Doyle, Novocure’s Executive Chairman. "Multiple preclinical studies suggest that the use of Tumor Treating Fields together with anti-PD-1 therapy can potentially augment the immune response resulting in improved tumor control. We look forward to generating clinical data demonstrating the effect of Tumor Treating Fields concurrent with KEYTRUDA in first-line NSCLC."
About Lung Cancer
Lung cancer, which forms in the tissues of the lungs, usually within cells lining the air passages, is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Each year, more people die from lung cancer than from colon and breast cancers combined. The two main types of lung cancer are non-small cell and small cell. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for about 85 percent of all cases. The five-year survival rate for patients diagnosed in the U.S. with NSCLC is approximately 24 percent.
About Tumor Treating Fields
Tumor Treating Fields is a cancer therapy that uses electric fields tuned to specific frequencies to disrupt cell division, inhibiting tumor growth and causing cancer cells to die. Tumor Treating Fields does not stimulate or heat tissue and targets dividing cancer cells of a specific size. Tumor Treating Fields causes minimal damage to healthy cells. Mild to moderate skin irritation is the most common side effect reported. Tumor Treating Fields is approved in certain countries for the treatment of adults with glioblastoma and in the U.S. for mesothelioma, two of the most difficult cancer types to treat. The therapy shows promise in multiple solid tumor types – including some of the most aggressive forms of cancer.
Use of Tumor Treating Fields for the treatment of NSCLC is investigational only.
KEYTRUDA is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA.