Monalizumab heads to pivotal phase 3 clinical trial

Innate Pharma and AstraZeneca are taking Innates’ lead candidate monalizaumab into phase 3 of its clinical trial.
Monalizumab, the anti NKG2A antibody that targets a pathway thought to inhibit the activity of NK and cytotoxic T Cells in cancer, will be evaluated in combination with Eli Lilly’s Erbitux, within the trial. It was licensed by AstraZeneca last year in £100m in near term payments and a further $825m development and sales milestones.
Chief Executive Officer of Innate Pharma Mondher Mahjoubi said “This is an important scientific milestone as we continue to invest in innovation and develop our late stage clinical development pipeline. Together with AstraZeneca, we’re working to progress this novel treatment for head and neck cancer patients, where there is an unmet clinical need.”
Both Innate Pharma and AstraZeneca will co-fund the trial which is set to begin in 2020 dependant on regulatory and compliance approvals.