Immunocore enters into immunotherapy-based clinical trial collaboration with Lilly

The collaboration is designed to identify combination regimens that provide synergies in efficacy and durability in patients with metastatic cutaneous and uveal melanomas.

IMCgp100 is Immunocore’s lead T cell receptor-based investigational therapeutic, while galunisertib is Lilly’s TGF beta R1 kinase inhibitor and merestinib is a multi-kinase inhibitor.

Under the deal, the companies will carry out a Phase Ib/II clinical trial evaluating the safety and preliminary efficacy of IMCgp100 in combination with galunisertib in metastatic cutaneous melanoma.

The companies will also conduct a second Phase Ib/II trial combining IMCgp100 with merestinib in the treatment of metastatic uveal melanoma.

Lilly will act as trial sponsor for these studies, which are scheduled to be started in 2016.

Lilly Oncology product development and medical affairs senior vice-president Richard Gaynor said: "This collaboration with Immunocore underscores Lilly’s commitment to discovering the potential of combination therapies, which will be key to the future of cancer care for people fighting diseases such as melanoma.

"Lilly is building a robust portfolio of potential advances in immunotherapy through our own research as well as with strategic collaborations like Immunocore."

Last July, the two companies have entered into a co-discovery and co-development collaboration to research and potentially develop other new T cell-based cancer therapies built on Immunocore’s ImmTAC platform.