It seems that Summit Therapeutic’s $500 million investment in exchange for rights to Akeso may have paid off. According to a recent article in Fierce Biotech, an interim study gave evidence that Akeso’s bispecific antibody vastly improved overall survival in patients with late-stage gastric cancer.
The process involves antigens that can stimulate an immune response. A bispecific antibody has two binding sites that focus on two different antigens. The difference between the two is that antigens cause disease whereas antibodies fight disease.
Akeso’s antibody not only improved survival in patients who were diagnosed with severe gastric cancer, but a Phase 3 trial reported improved overall survival in gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma.
Antibody-drug conjugates deliver potent chemotherapy that kills cancer cells but mostly without injury to healthy cells.
The trial’s interim analysis reported that Akeso’s cadonilimab combined with Xelox chemotherapy was far superior to placebo plus Xelox. The company said overall survival for most stages of the cancer was substantially improved in comparison to Xelox plus placebo.
The positive report prompted the independent monitoring committee to suggest that Summit bring forth a subsequent new drug application including unresectable (inoperable) locally advanced and metastatic forms of the cancers.
Akeso is developing plans to expand the drug’s use as a single drug or combined with other therapies in a minimum of four other types of cancer.
