Immunovaccine, Incyte to evaluate new immunotherapy combination to treat platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer

DPX-Survivac is Immunovaccine’s new T cell activating immunotherapy, while epacadostat (INCB24360) is Incyte’s investigational oral indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) inhibitor.

Under the deal, both the firms will co-fund and conduct a Phase IB trial to evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of the new combination in platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer patients who are at high risk of recurrence.

The investigational new drug (IND) application for the trial, which will test the triple combination of DPX-Survivac, epacadostat and low dose oral cyclophosphamide, is expected to be filed this year in the US and Canada.

The multicenter, open-label Phase Ib trial is expected to enroll around 20 patients and its results may lead to an expansion of the clinical collaboration to investigate other cancers.

Immunovaccine chief executive officer Marc Mansour said: "DPX-Survivac and epacadostat represent two exciting classes of immune based therapies with promising activity demonstrated in clinical trials.

"We believe a multi-pronged immune-based treatment approach may be favorable as an alternative to chemotherapy for recurrent ovarian cancer disease."

The company noted that both DPX-Survivac and epacadostat target pathways that have been linked to cancer progression, namely survivin and IDO1.

High levels of survivin and IDO1 are found in a range of cancers, including ovarian cancer, and individually have been shown to correlate with poor patient outcomes.