Merck, Pfizer Skin Cancer Drug Receives Breakthrough Status

Merck KGaA and Pfizer announced that the U.S. FDA has granted avelumab*, an investigational fully human anti-PD-L1 IgG1 monoclonal antibody, Breakthrough Therapy designation for the treatment of patients with metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) who have progressed after at least one previous chemotherapy regimen.

JAVELIN Merkel 200 is a multicenter, single-arm, open-label Phase II study with a primary objective of overall response rate. Secondary endpoints include duration of response, progression-free survival, overall survival and safety. The study, which enrolled 88 patients, is being conducted in sites across Asia Pacific, Australia, Europe and North America.

“In less than two months, the alliance between Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and Pfizer has achieved its third regulatory milestone for avelumab, including Orphan Drug designation and Fast Track designation granted in September and October,” said Dr. Mace Rothenberg, Senior Vice President of Clinical Development and Medical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer for Pfizer Oncology. “We are very pleased with the progress of the JAVELIN clinical development program and we are looking forward to presenting additional data on the potential of this investigational compound in Merkel cell carcinoma and other tumor types in 2016.”

*Avelumab is the proposed International Nonproprietary Name for the anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody (MSB0010718C).