AstraZeneca has significantly expanded its immuno-oncology pipeline through three strategic partnerships, positioning itself more strongly in the rapidly growing cancer immunotherapy market estimated to reach $33 billion by 2022.
In a major development, AstraZeneca's collaboration with Inovio Pharmaceuticals centers on INO-3112, a synthetic DNA vaccine targeting cancers caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 and 18. The deal, valued at up to $727.5 million, includes $27.5 million in upfront payments and substantial development milestones.
Novel Vaccine Technology and Mechanism
INO-3112 combines VGX-3100, which has demonstrated efficacy in phase II trials, with INO-9012, a DNA plasmid encoding interleukin-12. The vaccine stimulates immune responses against tumor cells expressing E6 and E7 antigens and utilizes an innovative electroporation delivery system that enhances vaccine absorption through electrical skin stimulation.
Strategic Combination Studies
MedImmune, AstraZeneca's research arm, plans to evaluate INO-3112 in combination with its PD-L1 inhibitor durvalumab (MEDI4736). This strategic approach aims to compete with established immunotherapies like Bristol-Myers Squibb's Opdivo and Merck's Keytruda. A phase II trial investigating the vaccine in locally-advanced cervical cancer is also imminent.
Expanding the Immunotherapy Arsenal
The company's partnership with Heptares, valued at up to $510 million, focuses on HTL-2071, an adenosine A2A receptor antagonist designed to enhance T-lymphocyte anti-cancer activity. The collaboration includes a $10 million upfront payment and will explore combinations with MedImmune's immunotherapy pipeline while pursuing additional A2A-blocking compounds.
Novel Combination Approaches
In the third partnership, AstraZeneca teams up with Mirati Therapeutics to investigate the combination of durvalumab with mocetinostat, a histone deacetylase inhibitor. Initial trials will focus on non-small cell lung cancer, with potential expansion into other cancer types. Mocetinostat joins a class of established HDAC inhibitors including vorinostat, panobinostat, and belinostat.
These strategic moves reflect the pharmaceutical industry's recognition of immuno-oncology as a transformative approach in cancer treatment, with analysts at Morningstar describing these therapies as a "paradigm shift" in oncology.
