ABL Bio to partner with U.S. BMS to conduct gastric cancer treatment trial

[Courtesy of ABL Bio Inc.]

South Korean bispecific antibody specialist ABL Bio Inc. announced Friday that its U.S. partner I-MAB Biopharma Co. has signed a collaboration and supply agreement with global pharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (BMS) for a clinical trial.

The clinical trial will evaluate triplet therapy as a first-line treatment for patients with advanced gastric and esophageal cancer with the Claudin 18.2 antigen.

The triplet therapy consists of givastomig/ABL111, a bispecific antibody drug candidate being jointly developed by ABL Bio and I-MAB, BMS‘ immune checkpoint inhibitor Opdivo (nivolumab), and commonly used chemotherapies such as FOLFOX and CAPOX.

Givastomig targets both Claudin 18.2 and the immune cell activating molecule 4-1BB. The trial will be conducted as an international clinical trial led by I-MAB, with BMS providing Opdivo.

“The clinical trial builds on the efficacy and safety data of givastomig monotherapy presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology 2023, and we are optimistic that the combination of nivolumab, chemotherapy and givastomig will induce a strong anti-tumor response in certain tumors,” said ABL Bio Chief Executive Officer Lee Sang-hoon.