Bavituximab and durvalumab combo to be evaluated in solid tumours

AstraZeneca and Peregrine Pharmaceuticals are to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Peregrine’s investigational phosphatidylserine (PS)-signalling pathway inhibitor, bavituximab, in combination with AstraZeneca’s investigational anti-PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitor, durvalumab.

The planned Phase I/Ib trial will evaluate the safety and efficacy of bavituximab in combination with durvalumab in multiple solid tumours.

AstraZeneca and Peregrine will collaborate to evaluate the combination of bavituximab and durvalumab with chemotherapy as a potential treatment in various solid tumours. The Phase I part of the trial is expected to establish a recommended dose regimen for the combination and the Phase Ib part of the trial will assess the safety and efficacy of the investigational combination. The initial trial will be conducted by Peregrine.

Bavituximab and durvalumab are investigational immunotherapies with different mechanisms that assist the body’s immune system in fighting cancer. Bavituximab targets and modulates the activity of phosphatidylserine, a highly immune-suppressive molecule expressed broadly on the surface of cells in the tumour microenvironment. The treatment increases activated T-cells in tumours and fights cancer by reversing the immunosuppressive environment that many tumours establish in order to proliferate. Durvalumab is a monoclonal antibody directed against programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1). Signals from PD-L1 help tumours avoid detection by the immune system. Preclinical data have demonstrated that by combining the enhanced T-cell mediated anti-tumour activity of bavituximab with checkpoint inhibitors like PD-L1 antibodies, the ability of tumour-specific T-cells to continue attacking the tumour is prolonged.

Preclinical data shows the significant potential for combining bavituximab with durvalumab

Robert Iannone, Head of Immuno-Oncology, Global Medicines Development, at AstraZeneca said, “We believe that combination therapy in immuno-oncology has the potential to be a novel and highly effective approach to treating cancer. Our partnership with Peregrine provides the opportunity to explore an exciting, novel combination that could deliver important clinical benefit to patients across a range of cancers.”

Steven W. King, President and Chief Executive Officer of Peregrine said, “Data generated to date have shown significant potential for combining bavituximab with agents targeting the PD-1/PDL-1 pathway and we’re excited to further explore this approach in studies with durvalumab. AstraZeneca, with its biologics arm MedImmune, is a recognised leader in the immuno-oncology field and this collaboration will play a key role as we continue to fully explore the potential of bavituximab in combination immunotherapies for a variety of clinical applications.”