Several studies will underscore the strength of Eli Lilly and Company's diverse clinical cancer pipeline and portfolio during the 52nd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago, June 3 - 7, 2016. Presentations include new data on abemaciclib, a CDK 4 and 6 inhibitor, as well as ramucirumab, a VEGF Receptor 2 antagonist; galunisertib, a TGFß small-molecule kinase inhibitor; and emibetuzumab, a MET antibody.
Other data to be presented at ASCO highlight Lilly's ongoing immuno-oncology clinical collaborations with Merck (known as MSD outside the US and Canada) in two trials that are evaluating ramucirumab and pemetrexed-plus-carboplatin, respectively, in combination with Merck's pembrolizumab.
These presentations reflect Lilly's multi-faceted strategy in developing cancer treatments - a balanced approach based on three scientific pillars of tumor cell growth and progression: cell signaling, tumor microenvironment and immuno-oncology. Lilly's data at this year's ASCO meeting highlight some of the recent progress it has made toward this strategy and touch on all three of these scientific pillars.
"The reality is that cancer is more than 200 diseases and the treatment of cancer needs to be aggressively approached from many angles," said Richard Gaynor, M.D., senior vice president, product development and medical affairs for Lilly Oncology. "Our oncology R&D strategy is to produce a diverse portfolio of novel agents that attack tumor cell growth and progression in multiple ways to improve patient outcomes."
Dr. Gaynor continued, "We are encouraged by our data at ASCO and the progress of our pipeline toward achieving our overall goals. We've had notable clinical advancements with abemaciclib and olaratumab, both of which have been designated as breakthrough therapies by the FDA. These build on necitumumab and ramucirumab, which we are continuing to investigate in additional disease settings and combinations. Additionally, our immuno-oncology initiatives are increasingly producing results through collaborations and our own internal research efforts."