Today, many companies are stepping out of their personalized healthcare strategy to accommodate collaborations. This way, they can advance their research and development efforts. Immunomedics, Inc. (NASDAQ:IMMU) is not new to collaborations, acquisitions, and partnerships. The biopharma has been in collaboration with Roche, which is also a pharma giant.
Immunomedics’ primary area of interest has been antibody-drug conjugates (ADC). It is enthusiastic about transforming people’s lives who are struggling with different types of cancers. Owing to this, the company has extended its current clinical collaboration with Roche. Through its proprietary ADC platform centers, the duo will be evaluating Trodelvy, an anti-Trop-2 ADC from Immunomedics.
The Combination of Trodelvy with an Immune-Stimulating Agent
The extension of the collaboration will allow Roche to use its MORPHEUS platform to carry out two open-label, randomized and multicenter Phase 1b/2 studies. The study’s primary candidates will randomize CPI-naïve mUC patients who must have failed in the platinum-containing chemotherapy. This means they could not receive the Tecentriq plus Trodelvy combination.
The major role of Trodelvy, according to the Chief Medical Officer of Immunomedics, Dr. Loretta M. Itri, is to cause tumor cell death, which is facilitated by the release of neoantigen. However, combining it with an immune-stimulating agent could give more potential for creating a synergistic effect.
“We believe these combination studies will build a strong foundation for early-line cancer treatment developments,” the Executive Chairman of Immunomedics, Dr. Behzad Aghazadeh, stated.
Immunomedics Freshly Appointed Biopharma CEO Steps Down amidst the COVID-19 Crisis
Harout Semerjian joined the biopharma in April, with so much optimism of taking it to the next level of success. However, he announced his sudden departure almost a month later, citing “logistical obstacles” occasioned by COVID-19. Immunomedics was quick to explain that Semerjian had a good relationship with the company’s management. Nonetheless, it was difficult for him to move his family to London due to the pandemic restrictions.
The CEO position at Immunomedics had been vacant for more than a year following the exit of Michael Pehl in early 2019. Reliable sources indicated that Pehl resigned amid an embarrassing FDA rejection of the company’s sacituzumab govitecan.
