Genome & Company partners with Merck, Pfizer on anti-cancer drug

By Kim Yoo-chul

Genome & Company, the country's leading microbiome anti-cancer drug developer, said Tuesday that it signed a second clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement (CTCSA) with Merck and Pfizer.

The purpose of the partnership is aimed at developing an immune-oncology microbiome therapeutic, which could be the world's first if development is completed as planned, the Korean company said in a statement.

The release added that this trial will be conducted simultaneously at six or more hospital and medical center sites, here. Merck and Pfizer will supply the medication, called avelumab, for use in the new company-led clinical trial named, Study 201.

The extended clinical collaboration of Genome & Company with Merck as well as Pfizer marks the first time that two straight clinical development collaborations have been executed between combination partners for immune-oncology microbiome treatment.

Genome & Company will sponsor the studies with Merck and Pfizer, supplying avelumab for both Study 101 and Study 201. They will then have access to the clinical data.

“This second CTCSA with Merck and Pfizer results from understanding our research and development (R&D) capabilities and the clinical collaboration that was established effectively through the ongoing Study 101. We should be able to reach the top of the oncology field using immune-oncology microbiome treatment in Asia, through this additional clinical trial,” its CEO, Pae Ji-soo was quoted as saying in the release.