BioNTech, Gilead to test drug combination in advanced breast cancer trial

BioNTech SE

Today 12:23

Oct 22 (Reuters) - Germany's BioNTech 22UAy.DE said on Thursday it had teamed up with Gilead Sciences GILD.O to test its experimental cancer therapy in combination with the US drugmaker's approved treatment in patients with a form of advanced breast cancer.
Here are some details:
The late-stage trial will test BioNTech's pumitamig with Gilead's FDA-approved Trodelvy in patients with triple-negative breast cancer
BioNTech plans to update its late-stage study to compare the combination against treatment with Trodelvy alone, replacing its earlier plan to test pumitamig plus chemotherapy against chemotherapy
The safety and effectiveness of the combination has not been established, and the planned trial changes would require approval from health regulators, BioNTech said
Triple-negative breast cancer is an aggressive form of the disease that lacks common treatment targets and accounts for about 10% to 15% of breast cancer cases, according to BioNTech
The study will include patients with locally advanced or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer whose tumors have low or no levels of PD-L1, a biomarker used to guide treatment
BioNTech will sponsor and lead the trial, while Gilead will supply Trodelvy
Pumitamig is being developed by BioNTech and Bristol Myers Squibb BMY.N and is central to their $11.1 billion collaboratio signed in 2025
The drug is designed to help the immune system attack cancer cells and limit blood supply to tumors

(Reporting by Padmanabhan Ananthan in Bengaluru; Editing by Jonathan Ananda)
((Padmanabhan.Ananthan@thomsonreuters.com;))