Merck Serono, the biopharma division of Merck, has established a specialized immune to the oncology innovation platform and recently combined the research, early development and biomarkerstrategien. With this step, Merck Serono's commitment to the oncology immunotherapy. In addition to the existing oncology portfolio of the company, the new immune-oncology platform will focus on the development of therapies that bolster the immune system make it a fight against tumours and can be used to advantage in combination with existing and future therapies.

"The complexity of cancer requires different approaches to the implementation of alternative forms of therapy," said Bernhard Kirschbaum, head of Global Research and Early Development at Merck Serono. "To promote the research and early development in this specialized area, we have created an innovative environment in which scientists and physicians work side by side and to develop potential new cancer immunotherapies."

This new immune oncology platform includes three innovation clusters, all located focus on drug discovery and transfer of molecules to the clinic on the basis of a "proof of Confidence".

Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines: New Chances tumour antigens to provoke a tumor-specific immune response.

Cancer stem cells: Targeted attack on cancer stem cells to prevent tumour formation or reduce and inhibit metastasis.

Immune Tolerance: elimination or bypass of inhibitory effects within the immune system that cause cancer cells are not recognized and attacked by the body to enable a broad platform for the immune-oncology research and development in the early stages, Merck Serono an internal team of eminent researchers and clinicians together.

This team will use available resources and technologies to build a portfolio of experimental immunotherapies. In addition, the team will work with senior academic institutions, research laboratories and industry organizations. immuno The current portfolio includes therapeutic oncology candidates in early clinical development phases, and a strong pipeline of preclinical molecules.

The leading therapeutic approaches in the clinic are: Anti-PD-L1, a monoclonal antibody directed against the expressed from different tumours PD ligand 1 (PD-L1 receptor for programmed cell death), currently in phase I in solid tumours NHS-IL12, a cancer immunotherapy targeted infiltrates in necrotic tumour areas of the interleukin IL-12, funded by the US National Cancer Institute (NCI), currently in phase I in solid tumours NHS-IL2, a fusion protein, interleukin the IL-2 infiltrates deliberately into necrotic tumour areas, phase I has been completed and is currently for phase II prepared in solid tumours.

"Our goal is to develop immunotherapies in combination with other forms of therapy by simultaneously attacking different targets of the tumors increase the likelihood of treatment success, "said Helen Sabzevari, head of the immune oncology platform within Global Research and Early Development at Merck Serono. "We want to take the chance of immune Oncology and therefore combine creative thinking with our scientific and clinical expertise. Our work here is the patient's well."

Disclaimer Therapeutic candidates are currently in clinical trials and are not yet in the US, Europe, Canada, or elsewhere for treatment. Neither the safety nor the effectiveness of these candidates have been established. Such safety and efficacy claims may be asserted only after regulatory review of the data and approval of the requested statements.

Merck Serono is the biopharmaceutical division of Merck, the division offers leading brands in 150 countries to help patients with cancer, multiple sclerosis, fertility, endocrine disorders, metabolic disorders and cardiovascular disease.The company discovers, develops, manufactures and markets prescription medicines for specialist therapy areas both synthetic and biological origin.