Bayer Schering Pharma allies with OncoMed on cancer research

Bayer Schering Pharma has announced a new collaboration with OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, which will focus on promising new methods of treating cancer.

The global strategic alliance between the firms will see antibodies, protein therapies and small molecules developed based on anti-cancer stem cell therapeutics targeting the Wnt signalling pathway, which have been developed by OncoMed.

Up to five new compounds could be set to be developed as part of the collaboration, with Bayer retaining an option to commercialise any treatments which are successfully submitted for regulatory approval.

OncoMed’s lead Wnt pathway antibody OMP-18R5, once of the compounds included in the collaboration, is set to commence clinical testing in 2011.

Professor Andreas Busch, head of global drug discovery and member of the board of management at Bayer Schering Pharma, said: “Anti-cancer stem cell research could turn out as one of the missing pieces in today’s cancer therapy.”

Earlier this week, the company published new data from a clinical trial of the lung cancer treatment Nexavar, with the treatment meeting its secondary endpoint of promoting progression-free survival.