On June 19, 2023, Kelun-Biotech reported that the innovative TROP2-ADC (SKB264, also known as MK-2870), which is being developed in collaboration with MSD (the tradename of Merck & Co., Inc, Rahway, NJ, USA), in combination with pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA, MSD’s anti-PD-1 therapy) for Phase II clinical studies in select patients with a variety of advanced solid tumors, has been approved for clinical trials in the European Union (Press release, Kelun, JUN 19, 2023, View Source(mk-2870)-is-approved-for-clinical-trials-in-the-european-union [SID1234633517]). This is an international multicenter clinical study which is currently approved in multiple countries and territories, including China, the United States, Canada, Australia, and now the European Union, fully demonstrating the strength of Kelun-Biotech in conducting clinical studies on a global scale. MSD and Kelun-Biotech are working closely to continually advance the international development of SKB264.
Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:
Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing
Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!
At present, immune checkpoint inhibitors, mainly represented by anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapies, have played an important role in treating cancer across a variety of tumors. In order to improve outcomes for patients, combination therapies are being explored, including combination with chemotherapy, targeted therapy, radiotherapy, other types of immunotherapy, and more.
ADCs specifically target tumor cells to deliver cytotoxic molecules that induce immunogenic cell death (ICD) and trigger innate and adaptive immune responses, allowing large numbers of T cells to infiltrate tumor cells and thereby improving immunotherapeutic efficacy. Clinical trial data in multiple cancer types have shown that anti-PD-1 therapies in combination with ADCs may be able to improve efficacy compared to either agent alone. TROP2 is highly expressed in a variety of epithelial-derived tumors and can promote tumor cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis, and is a promising target for broad-spectrum anti-tumor therapy. TROP2-ADCs specifically target TROP2-expressing tumor cells to deliver cytotoxic effects, and have shown encouraging anti-tumor activity as monotherapy in several clinical trials, and has the potential to improve anti-tumor efficacy in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors such as anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapies.
About SKB264 (MK-2870)
SKB264 is an innovative ADC targeting TROP2 which was developed by OptiDC, a well-known international ADC R&D platform of Kelun-Biotech, using a proprietary payload-linker strategy (Kthiol design strategy) that achieves an optimized balance of ADC safety and efficacy by combining novel irreversible antibody conjugation chemistry, pH-sensitive payload release mechanisms, and site-specific moderately potent toxin molecules with DAR of 7.4 (novel topoisomerase I inhibitors) [2].
SKB264 (MK-2870) has received 2 Breakthrough Therapy Designations (BTDs) from the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer and locally advanced or metastatic EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer who have failed EGFR-TKI therapy.
SKB264 (also known as MK-2870) is currently conducting Phase II and Phase III clinical trials of monotherapy/combination in multiple solid tumors. In China, the Phase III registrational clinical study of SKB264 monotherapy for patients with advanced or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) who have failed at least second-line therapy is progressing smoothly, and it is expected to become the first domestic TROP2-ADC approved for the Chinese market. Phase III clinical studies of SKB264 monotherapy in patients with TKI-resistant and EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are also rapidly advancing. Several Phase II clinical studies of SKB264 in combination with pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA, MSD’s anti-PD-1 therapy) or KL-A167 (Kelun’s anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody) are ongoing. Kelun-Biotech has licensed the exclusive rights to MSD (the tradename of Merck & Co., Inc, Rahway, NJ, USA) to research, develop, produce and commercialize SKB264 in all territories outside of Greater China (includes Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan).