Pfizer Inc. has entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). As part of the CRADA, Pfizer will collaborate with NCI’s Center for Cancer Research (CCR) to arrange and conduct preclinical and clinical trials to evaluate three investigational immunotherapy agents. These include Pfizer’s proprietary immunotherapy agonistic monoclonal antibodies targeting OX40 (CD134), (also known as PF-04518600); and utomilumab, targeting 4-1BB (CD137), (also known as PF-05082566); as well as avelumab, a fully human anti-PD-L1 IgG1 monoclonal antibody (also known as PF-06834635 and MSB0010718C), which is being developed through an alliance between Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and Pfizer.

The collaborative preclinical and clinical studies will be co-led by Dr. Jeffrey Schlom, chief of the Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology at CCR, Dr. James Gulley, chief of the Genitourinary Malignancies Branch at CCR, and Dr. Chris Boshoff, senior vice president and head of Immuno-oncology, Translational Oncology and Early Development, Pfizer Global Product Development. Under the CRADA, the three investigational immunotherapies will be studied alone, in various combinations with each other, and in combination with standard therapies, such as chemotherapy, radiation and targeted therapies across a range of cancers.

“We are looking forward to combining our expertise with those at the NCI to explore agents targeting the immune system in doublet and triplet combinations. Clinical studies focused on translational endpoints will allow us to optimally develop potential rational combinations,” said Chris Boshoff. “The CRADA is an important collaboration for us as we seek to realize the full potential of immunotherapy and hope to ultimately transform the cancer treatment paradigm.”

Beyond this collaboration, Pfizer is advancing these and other assets from its growing immuno-oncology portfolio with single agent and novel combination studies, both internally and through other collaborations.