Summit Therapeutics and Pfizer Collaborate on Clinical Trial for Ivonescimab and Antibody Drug Conjugates
Tuesday, February 25, 2025
Summit Therapeutics has announced a collaboration with Pfizer to conduct clinical trials evaluating ivonescimab, an investigational PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody, in combination with Pfizer’s antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) for the treatment of various solid tumours.
The collaboration aims to explore the safety and effectiveness of ivonescimab when used alongside Pfizer’s ADCs in different tumour types. Each study will assess the combination’s potential to improve treatment outcomes for patients with high unmet medical needs. Summit will supply ivonescimab, while Pfizer will oversee trial operations, with both companies jointly managing the studies. The trials are set to begin later this year.
Ivonescimab, known as SMT112 in Summit’s licensed regions and as AK112 in China and Australia, is a bispecific antibody designed to block PD-1 and VEGF pathways. By targeting these two mechanisms, it may enhance immune response while limiting tumour blood supply. The molecule’s structure allows for stronger binding in tumour environments, which could improve treatment effectiveness while reducing side effects.
Ivonescimab is currently being studied in multiple Phase III trials, with more than 2,300 patients worldwide having received the treatment in clinical studies. Summit has launched its own clinical development programme for ivonescimab in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with several late-stage trials underway.
Ongoing trials include HARMONi, which examines ivonescimab with chemotherapy in patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC after previous treatment, and HARMONi-3, which compares ivonescimab and chemotherapy with pembrolizumab and chemotherapy in first-line NSCLC treatment. Additionally, HARMONi-7 is assessing ivonescimab monotherapy against pembrolizumab monotherapy in patients with high PD-L1 expression.
Summit’s trials follow positive Phase III results from Akeso’s studies in China, including HARMONi-A and HARMONi-2, which demonstrated the potential of ivonescimab in NSCLC. While ivonescimab is not yet approved for use in Summit’s licensed regions, it received marketing authorisation in China in May 2024 and has been granted Fast Track designation by the U.S. FDA.
Source: businesswire.com
