Innovent Collaborates with Merck KGaA to Study Combination Therapy for KRASG12C-mutated NSCLC in China

02 June 2023 | Friday | News


Innovent Enters into Clinical Trial Collaboration with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany Investigating Combination Therapy of IBI351 (KRASG12C Inhibitor) and Cetuximab (ERBITUX®)for KRASG12C-mutated NSCLC in China
Image Source : Public Domain

Image Source : Public Domain

Innovent Biologics, Inc. ("Innovent") (HKEX: 01801), a world-class biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and commercializes high quality medicines for the treatment of oncology, autoimmune, metabolic, ophthalmology and other major diseases, today announced that it has entered into a clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany for the combination therapy of IBI351 (GFH925) with cetuximab (ERBITUX®) as a potential frontline treatment for NSCLC patients harboring KRASG12C mutation in a Phase 1b clinical trial in China.

Under the agreement, Innovent will conduct a Phase 1b study to evaluate the anti-tumor activity and safety of the combination therapy of IBI351(GFH925) with cetuximab in Chinese patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC harboring KRASG12C mutation. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany will provide clinical drug supplies of cetuximab in this multi-center trial in China. Cetuximab as a monotherapy or as a combination therapy has not been approved in any country for patients with advanced NSCLC.

Currently, Innovent is conducting a single-arm registrational trial of IBI351(GFH925) monotherapy in previously-treated advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients with KRASG12C mutation in China, with expected NDA filing by the end of 2023. A Phase 1b study of IBI351(GFH925) in combination with sintilimab for previously untreated advanced NSCLC patients with KRASG12C mutation is also under exploration. Latest data of a Phase 1 study of IBI351(GFH925) monotherapy in 67 previously-treated NSCLC patients with KRASG12C mutation were presented at the 2023 American Association for Cancer Research(AACR) Annual Meeting [Link].

Dr. Hui Zhou, Senior Vice President of Innovent, stated: "We are pleased to collaborate with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany to further explore the potential of IBI351 and cetuximab combination therapy in the early line setting for NSCLC patients harboring KRASG12C mutation, and shed light on next-step clinical development. The combination of a KRASG12C inhibitor and an EGFR inhibitor has shown efficacy in heavily pre-treated patients with metastatic colorectal cancer [1],[2],[3]. Preclinical studies of IBI351 and cetuximab combination therapy also demonstrated potential anti-tumour activity in NSCLC. Innovent has observed favorable safety and promising antitumor activity of IBI351 monotherapy in previously-treated advanced NSCLC harboring KRASG12C mutation, and we are actively expanding treatment lines, hoping to provide better treatment options for more cancer patients. "

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