Merck Sharp and Dohme to research cancer drug with Pfizer

Merck Sharp and Dohme will be collaborating with Pfizer to study the applications of a promising new cancer therapy.

The companies will conduct phase I/II clinical studies assessing the safety and efficacy of the drug MK-3475, in combination with Pfizer's small molecule kinase inhibitor Inlyta, in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

A separate research programme will evaluate MK-3475 plus PF-05082566, an investigational immuno-oncology agent that targets the human 4-1BB receptor, in the treatment of multiple cancer types.

This comes after Merck Sharp and Dohme also recently agreed to work with Amgen and Incyte to assess novel combination regimens with MK-3475.

Dr Roger Perlmutter, president of Merck Research Laboratories, said: "These new collaborations with Amgen, Incyte and Pfizer underscore our shared determination to evaluate treatment regimens with the potential to provide meaningful benefits to patients suffering from cancer."

The company recently initiated a rolling US regulatory submission for MK-3475 and considers it to be a strategically important new product.