Treatment combines novel therapies to fight colorectal cancer.

Array Biopharma and Bristol-Meyers Squibb (BMS) announced they have entered into a clinical research & development collaboration to investigate the “safety, tolerability and efficacy,” of a therapy that combines BMS’s Opdivo (nivolumab) and Array’s investigational MEK inhibitor, binimetinib, to treat metastatic colorectal cancer patients that have stable microsite tumors.

According to the two companies, the Phase I-II study will establish dose regimens (for further study) as well as examine the “preliminary anti-tumor activity” of the combined drugs. The studies will also investigate BMS’s alternative immune-oncology therapy, Yervoy, in combination with Opdivo and Array’s binimetinib. Statistics provided by the companies reveal colorectal cancer is one of the top three most common cancer types in men and the second for women, responsible for approximately 1.4 million new diagnoses in 2012 and approximately 694,000 deaths. Array/BMS found the incidence of microsatellite stability varies by stage, “with nearly 80% of early stage, resectable tumors and approximately 67% of advanced, metastatic tumors exhibiting MSS.”

Fouad Namouni, SVP and head of Bristol-Myers Squibb Oncology Development said, "Colorectal cancer remains a challenging tumor where immunotherapy benefits have been limited to a subset of patients. We are committed to investigating a wide range of oncology therapies, and look forward to studying the combination of Array's MEK inhibitor and our immunotherapies with the goal of developing more treatment options for patients." Lauding the collaboration and offering similar sentiments, Array BioPharma CEO Ron Squarer expressed his optimism. "Based on emerging data, we believe that studying combinations of targeted therapies, such as binimetinib, with immuno-oncology agents, such as Opdivo and Yervoy, could provide important scientific advances for patients fighting cancer," he said.