Leap Therapeutics Announces Collaboration with Merck to Evaluate KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) in Combination with DKN-01 in Eso...
June 21 2017 - 9:07AM
Leap Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq:LPTX), a biotechnology company
developing targeted and immuno-oncology therapeutics, today
announced that it has entered into a clinical trial collaboration
agreement with Merck (known as MSD outside the United States and
Canada), to investigate Leap’s DKK1 antagonist, DKN-01, in
combination with Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy, KEYTRUDA®
(pembrolizumab), in patients with relapsed or refractory advanced
esophagogastric cancers.
“This clinical collaboration with Merck is the
first of the combination immunotherapy studies we plan to initiate
in each of our two programs, DKN-01 and TRX518. Combining DKN-01
with KEYTRUDA has a strong scientific rationale and offers hope to
patients with few treatment options,” commented Cynthia Sirard,
M.D., Vice President, Clinical Development of Leap
Therapeutics.
The study is expected to begin enrolling
patients in the second-half of 2017. The collaboration agreement is
between Leap and Merck, through a subsidiary. Additional details of
the collaboration were not disclosed.
About Leap TherapeuticsLeap
Therapeutics’ (NASDAQ:LPTX) most advanced clinical candidate,
DKN-01, is a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting the Dickkopf-1
(DKK1) protein. DKN-01 is in clinical trials in patients with
gastroesophageal cancer, alone and in combination with paclitaxel,
and in patients with biliary tract cancer, in combination with
gemcitabine and cisplatin. An investigator-initiated study of
DKN-01 will be conducted in hepatocellular carcinoma patients, in
combination with sorafenib. DKN-01 has demonstrated single
agent activity in non-small cell lung cancer patients. Leap’s
second clinical candidate, TRX518, is a novel, humanized GITR
agonist monoclonal antibody designed to enhance the immune system’s
anti-tumor response that is in two monotherapy studies. For
more information about Leap Therapeutics, visit
http://www.leaptx.com or our public filings with the SEC that are
available via EDGAR at http://www.sec.gov or via
http://www.investors.leaptx.com/.
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release contains forward-looking
statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act
of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve
risks and uncertainties. These statements include statements
relating to Leap’s expectations with respect to the development and
advancement of DKN-01, TRX518, and other programs, including the
initiation, timing and design of future studies, enrollment in
future studies, business development, and other future
expectations, plans and prospects. Leap has attempted to identify
forward looking statements by such terminology as ‘‘believes,’’
‘‘estimates,’’ ‘‘anticipates,’’ ‘‘expects,’’ ‘‘plans,’’
‘‘projects,’’ ‘‘intends,’’ ‘‘may,’’ ‘‘could,’’ ‘‘might,’’ ‘‘will,’’
‘‘should,’’ or other words that convey uncertainty of future events
or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. Although
Leap believes that the expectations reflected in such
forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the date made,
forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties
that could cause actual results to differ materially from our
expectations. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not
limited to: the outcome, cost, and timing of our product
development activities and clinical trials; the uncertain clinical
development process, including the risk that clinical trials may
not have an effective design or generate positive results; our
ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval of our drug
product candidates; our plans to research, develop, and
commercialize our drug product candidates; our ability to achieve
market acceptance of our drug product candidates; unanticipated
costs or delays in research, development, and commercialization
efforts; the applicability of clinical study results to actual
outcomes; the size and growth potential of the markets for our drug
product candidates; the accuracy of our estimates regarding
expenses, future revenues, capital requirements and needs for
financing; our ability to continue obtaining and maintaining
intellectual property protection for our drug product candidates;
and other risks. Detailed information regarding factors that may
cause actual results to differ materially will be included in Leap
Therapeutics’ periodic filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), including Leap Therapeutics’
Form 10-K that Leap filed with the SEC on March 31, 2017. These
statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown
risks, uncertainties, and other factors. Any forward looking
statements contained in this release speak only as of its date. We
undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements
contained in this release to reflect events or circumstances
occurring after its date or to reflect the occurrence of
unanticipated events.
KEYTRUDA® is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp & Dohme
Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ,
USA.
CONTACT:
Douglas E. Onsi
Chief Financial Officer
Leap Therapeutics, Inc.
donsi@leaptx.com
617-714-0360
Argot Partners
Susan Kim
212-203-4433
susan@argotpartners.com
or
Heather Savelle
617-663-4863
heather@argotpartners.com
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