On April 19, 2021 Checkmate Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CMPI) ("Checkmate"), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing its proprietary technology to harness the power of the immune system to combat cancer, reported the initiation of dosing in a Phase 2 proof-of-concept trial in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) (Press release, Checkmate Pharmaceuticals, APR 19, 2021, View Source [SID1234578193]). The trial will assess the efficacy and safety of vidutolimod (CMP-001) in combination with pembrolizumab for the treatment of patients with first-line relapsed or metastatic HNSCC. The results of this trial are expected in the 2nd half of 2022, with initial data in a subset of patients anticipated before the end of 2021.

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"The initiation of patient dosing in this head and neck cancer trial is an important milestone for our indication-expansion strategy for vidutolimod," said Barry Labinger, President and Chief Executive Officer of Checkmate. "Fewer than 20% of patients with relapsed or metastatic HNSCC respond to single-agent checkpoint blockade, which highlights the substantial need for a chemotherapy-free regimen with an improved rate and duration of response."

Checkmate is also conducting two clinical trials of vidutolimod in combination with nivolumab in the lead indication of melanoma. The first is a Phase 2 trial assessing the efficacy and safety of vidutolimod in combination with nivolumab for the treatment of patients with anti-PD-1 refractory melanoma. The second is a Phase 2/3 trial comparing the efficacy and safety of vidutolimod in combination with nivolumab to nivolumab monotherapy in patients with first-line metastatic or unresectable melanoma. Checkmate previously announced initiation of patient dosing in the first-line melanoma trial in March 2021. Trial sites have been activated and patient screening is underway in the refractory melanoma study.

Additional information about Checkmate’s HNSCC trial, including participating investigative sites, can be found here: View Source

Information about the Phase 2 anti-PD-1 refractory melanoma trial and the Phase 2/3 melanoma study can be found here: View Source