Gilead boosts stake in Arcus, refocuses anti-TIGIT programme

30 Jan 2024
firstwordpharma.com
Phase 3ImmunotherapyClinical Trial FailurePhase 2
Gilead Sciences announced Monday that it will increase its stake in Arcus Biosciences to 33%, pumping an equity investment of $320 million into the latter’s common stock priced at $21 per share. The companies also amended their existing collaboration in an effort to accelerate development of the anti-TIGIT drug domvanalimab as part of chemotherapy-containing regimens.
Under the revamp, Gilead and Arcus will stop enrolment in the Phase III ARC-10 study evaluating domvanalimab plus the experimental anti-PD-1 monoclonal zimberelimab versus Merck & Co.’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) monotherapy in front-line advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.
Gilead and Arcus will push ahead with the late-stage STAR-121 study, which is evaluating domvanalimab plus zimberelimab and chemotherapy versus Keytruda plus chemotherapy in first-line all-comer NSCLC patients regardless of PD-L1 expression levels.
The drugmakers will also continue the STAR-221 trial investigating the same triplet regimen versus Bristol Myers Squibb’s Opdivo (nivolumab) plus chemotherapy in first-line locally advanced, unresectable or metastatic gastric, esophageal and gastro-esophageal junction adenocarcinomas. Both studies are expected to be fully enrolled by year-end.
Gilead and Arcus also plan to shortly kick off the Phase III STAR-131 trial of domvanalimab plus zimberelimab in lung cancer. Merdad Parsey, Gilead’s chief medical officer, said that the changes to the companies’ agreement will “enable Arcus to focus on progressing multiple pipeline assets," including an independent Phase III study of the CD73 inhibitorCD73 inhibitor quemliclustat in pancreatic cancer.
The original deal between the companies was forged back in 2020, focusing on advancing cancer immunotherapies from Arcus' pipeline. They expanded the partnership in May last year to encompass therapies for inflammatory diseases.
The additional investment is expected to extend Arcus’ cash runway into 2027, while it will see Gilead’s chief commercial officer Johanna Mercier take a seat on the former’s board.
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