AstraZeneca and Kyowa Hakko Kirin to conduct immuno-oncology studies

AstraZeneca has entered into a clinical study collaboration with Kyowa Hakko Kirin to jointly conduct a phase I/Ib immuno-oncology study.

The trial will evaluate the safety and efficacy of two separate combinations of three investigational compounds in multiple solid tumours. Both companies will help fund the study, with Kyowa Hakko Kirin set to conduct it.

AstraZeneca's anti-PD-L1 antibody MEDI4736 and anti-CTLA-4 antibody tremelimumab will both be assessed in combination with Kyowa Hakko Kirin's anti-CCR4 antibody mogamulizumab. All of these are part of a new class of cancer treatments known as immunotherapies.

MEDI4736 and tremelimumab function by blocking the signals that help tumours avoid detection by the immune system, while mogamulizumab suppresses some of the immune cells that also help shield the tumour.

Briggs Morrison, executive vice-president for global medicines development and chief medical officer at AstraZeneca, said: "We believe that combination therapy in immuno-oncology has the potential to be one of the most effective ways of treating cancer. Our partnership with Kyowa Hakko Kirin provides the opportunity to explore two novel and exciting combinations."

This comes after the firm announced earlier this week that it will be allying with Roche on the development of a plasma-based companion diagnostic test for the new lung cancer drug AZD9291.